One  ^^ 
Hundred 
Girls  of^ 
India  e^^ 


t 


Mary  J.  Campbell 


tihraxy  of  t:he  t:heolo0ical  ^tminavy 

PRINCETON  .  NEW  JERSEY 

FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
ROBERT  ELLIOTT  SPEER 

BV    3280    .P8    C35    1900 
Campbell,    Mary  Jane,    1865- 
One   hundred   girls   of    India 

,^K«^  OF  Pff/.v^ 

^  JAN  15  1959 

ONE  nUNDR^*''"  ^'"^ 


GIRLS  or  INDIA 


BY 
MISS  MARY  cJ.  CAMPBELL 

A  Missionary  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Churcl^ 


AN  ACCOUNT  Or  INCIDENTS  OCCURRING 
DURING  n\SS  CAMPBELL'S  CONNECTION 
WITH  THE  GIRLS'  BOARDING  SCHOOL  .^ 
AT  SIALKOT,  IN  THE  PUNcJAB,  INDIA 


Press  of  Hann  6c  Adair,  Columbus,  Ohio 
1900 


INTRODUCTION. 


A  DISTINGUISHED  missionary  was  announced 
to  speak  at  a  recent  convention  on  '^The 
need  for  men  and  the  men  for  the  need,"  but 
in  his  speech  he  said  not  one  word  upon  his  sub- 
ject, the  one  part  nor  the  other,  nor  so  much  as 
named  it.  Instead,  with  all  the  coloring  and  skill 
of  word  painting,  he  so  pictured  the  actual  work 
of  saving  souls  in  heathen  lands  that  men  saw  the 
need  and  felt  the  stirring  of  the  impulse  that 
makes  the  men  for  the  need.  So  the  author  of 
this  little  book  has  been  delivering  a  great  many- 
addresses  on  a  variety  of  missionary  subjects ;  but 
whatever  the  subject,  the  effect  is  always  the  same: 
''  The  blind  see  "  who  never  before  have  seen  any- 
thing in  foreign  missions,  and  the  "  lame  walk,'' 
who  never  before  showed  the  slightest  disposition 
to  bestir  themselves  in  missionary  interests.  In 
short,  wherever  she  speaks  there  is  forthwith  a 
missionary  revival. 

To  these  pages  Miss  Campbell  has  transferred 
the  impressive  scenes  which  those  who  have  heard 
her  speak  hold  ineffaceably  portrayed  on  their 
hearts.  Her  speeches  were  what  our  fathers  well 
called  *^  moving  addresses.''  It  will  be  a  stubborn 
will  that  is  not  moved  by  her  little  book.  May 
the  melting  power  of  the  love  of  the  Master  go 
v,ith  her  words.  j^    ^   ^^^^ 

Philadelphia,  Nov.  2,  1899. 


ONE  HUNDRED  GIRLS  OF  INDIA. 
CHAPTER  I. 

AN  EVENING  IN  THE  GIRIvS'  SCHOOL. 

A  HUSH  had  fallen  on'that  part  of  the  compound 
where  the  Girls'  Boarding  School  buildings 
stood.  Inside  the  thick,  high  brick  walls 
there  had  been  noise  and  stir  since  the  four  o'clock 
morning  bell  had  called  the  cooks  to  the  kitchen. 
Laughter  and  song,  alternating  with  sounds  of 
weeping  from  some  injured  little  girl,  had  floated 
out  over  the  walls  all  day  long. 

It  had  been  a  busy  day  in  the  school,  as  were 
all  the  days  of  the  school  year.  Food  had  been 
prepared,  and  eaten  by  a  hundred  hungry  girls. 
Sweeping,  dusting,  bathing,  sewing,  mending,  had 
filled  the  hours  when  the  girls  were  not  in  the 
school-room.  From  nine  o'clock  till  four,  the  hum 
of  the  girls'  voices  reciting  lessons  could  be  heard 
in  the  school-house  just  outside  the  walls  that 
surrounded  the  living  apartments. 


b  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

It  was  evening  now,  and  the  girls  had  met  in 
the  long,  narrow  study  for  prayers.  A  look  through 
the  open  door  reveals  a  beautiful  sight.  There 
are  the  ''  one  hundred  "  seated  in  straight  lines  on 
the  coarse  matting  that  covers  the  brick  floor.  No 
furniture  is  in  the  room  except  a  small  stove  that 
was  given  to  the  school  the  preceding  winter  by 
one  of  the  missionaries,  when  he  saw  how  severely 
the  girls  suffered  from  cold  during  the  winter 
rains.  An  old-fashioned  clock,  high  up  on  the 
wall,  out  of  the  reach  of  mischievous  fingers,  ticks 
solemnly,  as  Maryam,  better  known  in  the  school 
as  Bua,  the  eldest  sister,  arises  and  says,  "  Sisters, 
let  us  sing  the  fifty-first  psalm  this  evening.  I^et 
us  sing  it  prayerfully,  with  every  head  bowed." 
The  hearts  of  those  who  listen  from  the  outside 
are  deeply  touched  as  they  hear  the  sweat  girlish 
voices  singing  this  psalm  that  was  penned  by  a 
truly  penitent  heart.     How  earnestly  they  sing : — 

"  Wash  me  wholly  from  my  sins, 
Cleanse  me  from  my  guilty  stains." 

A  sob  bursts  forth  from  one  aching  heart,  as 
they  sing  on  very  softly  now, — 

*'  Cast  me  not  away  from  Thee 
Nor  Thy  spirit  take  from  me." 

Bua's  voice  has  an  exultant  ring  as  they  sing 
in  closing, 


*'  Freed  from  guilt  my  tongue  shall  raise 
Songs  thy  righteousness  to  praise.  " 

''  Our  evening  lesson  is  found  in  the  second 
chapter  of  Revelation, "  one  of  the  girls  said  to 
Bua,  when  the  song  was  finished. 

One  hundred  pairs  of  bright,  black  eyes  were 
fixed  attentively  on  the  sweet  face  of  Bua  as  she 
read  the  whole  chapter  over  carefully.  At  the 
close  of  the  reading  she  said,  *'  Dear  sisters,  I  want 
you  to  notice  the  word  '  overcometh. '  I  find  it 
mentioned  four  times  in  this  chapter.  In  verse  7, 
*  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the 
tree  of  life.'  In  verse  11,  'He  that  overcometh 
shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death.'  And,  oh 
sisters,  just  listen  to  the  precious  promise  in  verse 
17.  'To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of 
the  hidden  manna  and  will  give  him  a  white  stone 
and  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written  which  no 
man  knoweth  saving  he  that  receiveth  it.  '  A  new 
name  on  a  white  stone,  a  name  so  dear  that  none 
but  my  Lord  and  myself  shall  know  it,"  Maryam 
said  very  softly  to  herself.  Jesus  was  very  pre- 
cious to  her.  Then  in  verse  26,  "  He  that  over- 
cometh to  him  will  I  give  power  over  the  nations." 

"  Sisters,  have  you  and  I  lived  the  overcoming 
life  to-day?  Our  hearts  are  yearning  to-night  for 
all  that  is  to  be  given  to  those  who  lead  the  over- 
coming life,  the  '  tree  of  life '  in  the  paradise  of 


8  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

God  with  its  cool,  refreshing  shade,  the  *  white 
stone  '  and  the  '  new  name  '  thereon  ;  but  are  we 
willing  to  pay  the  price  ?  Let  us  bow  our  heads 
and  ask  God's  Holy  Spirit  to  show  us  very  clearly 
wherein  we  have  failed  to  overcome  sin  to-day." 

Every  head  was  bowed  as  she  led  them  in 
prayer.  She  talked  with  Jesus,  believing  him  to 
be  standing  beside  them  in  the  plain,  little  study 
room.  She  told  Him  some  of  them  desired  very 
earnestly  to  overcome  every  sin,  and  yet  how 
miserably  they  failed ;  how  that  very  day  sev- 
eral of  the  girls  had  shown  bad  temper  in  the 
school-room  when  the  teacher  had  reproved  them 
for  not  having  learned  their  geography  lesson,  and 
how  the  teacher  had  said,  *'  I  thought  Christians 
were  not  allowed  to  become  angry." 

"  Dear  Jesus,  "  Bua  pleaded,  ''  help  us  to  so  live 
that  the  heathen  around  us  may  know  we  are  fol- 
lowing in  Thy  footsteps.  We  want  to  overcome 
every  sin.     Help  us,  for  thy  name's  sake." 

Several  little  faces  were  damp  with  tears  as 
they  arose  from  prayer. 

Quietly  they  all  stood  now,  each  in  her  place, 
and  one  by  one  the  younger  children  passed  out 
into  the  open  court  yard  after  saying  good-night  to 
Bua.  There  was  less  noise  than  usual  in  the  dor- 
mitories, as  the  sixty  girls  who  belonged  to  the 
lower  classes  made  ready  for  bed. 

The  hearts  of  the  two  Miss  Sahibas,  who  had 


AN    EVENING    IN   THE    GIRLS'    SCHOOL.  9 

charge  of  these  one  hundred  brown-faced  girls,  who 
were  gathered  in  from  city  and  village  homes  all 
over  the  large  mission  field,  rejoiced  as  they  noted 
the  prayerful  spirit  that  was  coming  over  the  school. 
As  they  passed  down  the  long  verandas  a  little 
later,  looking  into  the  brightly  lighted  dormitories 
to  see  that  all  was  as  it  should  be,  they  were  pleased 
to  see  child  after  child  kneel  beside  the  white  cots. 
Sometimes  a  little  form  would  be  seen  shaking 
with  sobs  as  the  sins  of  the  day  were  confessed  to 
to  the  loving  Saviour. 

Two  little  girls  were  overheard  discussing  a 
theft  they  had  committed  in  the  morning.  When 
no  one  was  looking  they  had  slipped  into  the 
store-room  when  the  door  had  been  left  unlocked 
for  a  little  while,  and  had  filled  their  pockets  with 
rice  and  red  peppers. 

"  Don't  let  us  confess  it  to-night,''  said  Bissee, 
the  older  girl,  "  we  can  do  it  just  as  well  in  the 
morning." 

''  No,  Bissee,''  said  Jiwan,  ''  I  cannot  rest  until 
I  have  the  burden  off*  my  heart.  Jesus  saw  us  do 
it.  Don't  you  remember  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba 
said  yesterday,  Jesus  might  come  any  time?  What 
if  He  should  come  to-night?  Let  us  go  and  speak 
to  the  Miss  Sahibas  now.  I  saw  them  pass  down 
the  veranda  a  few  moments  ago.  There  they  are, 
over  by  the  kitchen  door  bandaging  Hannah  IV's 
sore  foot." 


10  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

"  I  wouldn't  like  to  wash  that  dreadful  sore, 
would  you?"  said  Bissee.  ''Yet  Miss  Corbett 
Sahiba  does  it  every  day  so  lovingly.'' 

"  It  is  because  she  loves  Jesus,''  whispered 
Jiwan,  for  now  the  two  girls  had  drawn  near  the 
place  where  Miss  Corbett  was  tying  up  the  ugly 
sore  on  poor,  sufifering  Hannah  IV's  foot.  They 
waited  until  she  had  finished  the  task,  then  they 
told  her  of  the  sin  they  had  committed.  Forgive- 
ness was  granted  ;  then  the  teacher,  and  two  little 
girls,  knelt  down  on  the  ground  and  prayed  for 
hearts  to  be  kept  clean  and  pure. 

In  the  study,  the  older  girls,  of  the  upper  classes, 
were  busy  with  slates,  pencils  and  books,  prepar- 
ing the  next  day's  lessons.  When  the  clock  struck 
nine,  the  girls  stopped  work  and  left  the  study,  all 
except  a  few,  who  wished  to  have  a  little  talk  with 
Bua.  Those  who  left  the  room  said  a  loving  good- 
night to  Bua  as  they  passed  out.  Crossing  the 
court-yard  they  entered  the  dormitories,  where  the 
smaller  girls  were  all  fast  asleep. 

Of  those  who  lingered  in  the  study  one  was 
Hannah,  a  slender  girl,  with  delicate  features.  She 
nearly  always  had  a  pleasant  smile,  and  her  pretty 
way  of  looking  up  brightly,  when  any  one  addressed 
her,  gave  her  an  attractive  appearance.  To-night, 
there  was  a  thoughtful  look  on  her  face,  not  at  all 
sad,  but  as  if  she  was  thinking  deeply.  She  came 
into  the  school  when  she  was  only  two  years  old, 


AN    EVENING    IN    THE    GIRLS'    SCHOOL.  11 

an  orphan,  rescued  by  some  of  the  missionaries. 
She  was  now  eleven  years  old. 

Isri,  a  tall,  loosely-built  girl  came  up  and  threw 
herself  down  carelessly  by  the  side  of  Hannah, 
whom  she  dearly  loved  and  who  was  a  classmate. 
Isri's  mother  had  died  when  she  was  only  a  little 
girl.  Her  father  was  converted  to  Christianity  by 
the  preaching  of  the  missionaries  and  was  very 
earnest,  until  the  Roman  Catholics,  by  many  fair 
promises  and  money  inducements,  persuaded  him 
to  join  their  Mission,  and  so  gained  hold  of  Isri's 
only  brother  as  well.  This  was  a  great  grief  to  her. 

Martha,  a  pretty  girl  of  thirteen,  also  drew  near. 
She  belonged  to  the  eighth  grade.  If  she  passed 
the  next  examination  she  would  be  ready  to  enter 
either  the  high  school  or  normal  department.  She 
was  an  unusually  thoughtful  girl. 

Viro  and  Nasiban,  her  classmates,  and  Bhatto, 
the  wag  of  the  school,  completed  the  group  that 
gathered  near  the  place  where  Bua  was  seated. 

They  were  silent  a  few  moments.  At  last 
Hannah  exclaimed,  nervously,  "  Bua,  what  is  wrong 
with  us?  Every  time  I  open  my  Bible  these  days 
something  says  to  me,  *  you  are  leading  an  incon- 
sistent life.  You  profess  to  want  to  do  good,  and 
you  pray  to  be  made  good,  yet  you  allow  your  ugly 
temper  to  control  you  at  times,  and  oftentimes  you 
are  full  of  selfishness.' " 


12  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

Hannah,  if  you  are  selfish,  what  about  me," 
cried  Isri.  ''  Why  you  are  always  thinking  what 
you  can  do  to  help  some  one  else,  while  I— Oh, 
sisters !  I  don't  believe  it  is  possible  for  me  to 
live  the  overcoming  life." 

''  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  ; 
old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold,  all  things  are 
become  new,"  quoted  Bua,  very  gently,  as  she  took 
Isri's  hand  in  hers. 

''  Yes,  I  know  that  is  what  the  Bible  says.  It 
may  be  I'm  not  a  new  creature.  I  think  I'm  a 
Christian  when  I  am  in  church  or  Endeavor  meet- 
ing. I  feel  so  good,  but  it  is  different  when  I  go 
to  the  kitchen  or  play-yard.  I  forget  all  about 
It  then,  and  think  only  of  having  plenty  of  fun,  no 
matter  what  trouble  it  may  give  others." 

''We   all   agree   with   you,    Isri,"   now    spoke 
Bhatto,  ^^  since  that  night  you  went  blanket  hunt- 
ing."    The  girls  on  hearing  this  could  not  refrain 
from  laughing  again  at  poor  Isri's  expense. 
^      One  damp  night,  during  the  summer  that  had 
just  passed,  when  the  girls  were  all  sound  asleep 
on  their  cots,  out  in  the  court  yard,  Isri,  who  had 
carelessly   lost    her   blanket,   became   thoroughly 
chilled  by  the  damp  air.     She  sprang   from    her 
bed  and  started  on  a  tour  among  the  cots,  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  a  blanket  from  some  one  of  the 
sleeping  girls.     She  soon  came  to  the   bed   of  a 
very  small  girl  and  decided  to  take  her  blanket, 


AN    EVENING    IN    THE    GIRLS'    SCHOOL.  13^ 

as  the  little  one  could  not  hold  it,  even  though  she 
should  struggle  to  keep  it.  She  looked  into  the 
face  of  the  sleeping  child,  and  then  down  at  the 
head  of  the  cot  saw,  what  she  thought  was  a  long^ 
black  stick.  The  temptation  to  have  some  fun 
was  too  great  to  be  resisted,  so  she  stooped  to  pick 
up  the  stick  and  with  it  to  tickle  the  ears  and  nose 
of  the  little  sleeper.  Just  as  she  was  about  ready 
to  clasp  the  stick,  it  began  to  move.  It  was  a 
two-headed  snake.  She  gave  an  awful  scream  that 
so  frightened  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba,  who  had  not 
yet  retired,  but  had  taken  advantage  of  the  quiet 
night-time  to  make  out  the  monthly  account,  and 
write  some  long-unanswered  letters  to  the  home 
land,  that  she  jumped  from  her  chair  and  stood 
for  a  moment  trembling.  '*  Where  is  that  awful 
shriek  coming  from  ? "  she  thought.  Cries  of  *'Sap!'^ 
<'  Sap  !"  ''  A  snake !"  "  A  snake  !"  now  filled  the 
school  yard.  The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  was  thor- 
oughly alarmed,  for  she  thought  "  at  last  a  child 
had  been  bitten  by  a  snake."  She  rushed  to  the 
office  door  and  found  half  a  dozen  girls  frantically 
screaming,  '^  Oh,  do  be  careful,  there  is  a  snake !" 
while  ninety  or  more  were  jumping  wildly  from 
one  bed  to  another,  some  crying,  some  screaming, 
"  A  snake !  A  snake  !"  At  last  she  reached  the 
spot  where  Gomti,  the  only  girl  in  the  school 
brave  enough  to  do  such  a  thing,  was  giving  the 
final  blow  to  a  large  shake,  three  feet  in  length 
and  as  thick  as  one  of  the  smaller  girls'  wrists. 


14  ONE    HUNDRED   GIRLS   OF   INDIA. 

get  it  "^^^  "^^"  ^"°wed  to  for- 

5weet-faced  Mott  Mem    Qo^k  '    ^  "^^^  ^^^ 

I  have  come  to  is  this   ^.         ^'  conclusion 

for  our   own   si  r?;;]?  "!^     '^^'"^  Bible  study 
Oh,  my  dear  sisL   Te    ^  ^""^  "'^'^  "^"'^  P^^y^r 
oueHi^Hol^TSupon^';^.^^"'^^^'^''^^-- 

tial  bSi:;s%S\"?in'^  ""'  ^''epentecos- 
" Girls  I  n-1    K  """^  °^°  school." 

I  begin  VSeYtherT"''"  '^"  ^°" -''''  "^ut 

ehurc'h  in  theSdays^V:  do^^tt  ""''''  ^"  °"^ 
^        vv  e  ao  not  experience  what 


AN    EVENING    IN    THE    GIRLS'    SCHOOL.  15 

the  early  disciples  did !  And  nobody  preaches 
about  the  Holy  Ghost !  I  never  heard  a  sermon 
on  that  subject.'' 

"  Neither  do  I  want  to  hear  one, "  Nasiban  now 
burst  out,  with  a  scornful  smile  on  her  face,  ''  if  it 
makes  me  want  to  undergo  all  those  early  disciples 
and  martyrs  endured. 

Ugh  !  Think  of  the  trials  they  had  !  Hungry, 
beaten,  stoned,  imprisoned,  beheaded  ! 

Here  are  Bua  and  Hannah  longing  for  similar 
experiences.  I  think  we  have  enough  praying  in 
this  school  now.  Every  morning  and  evening ! 
And  as  for  Bible  study,  we  have  to  learn  it  from 
Genesis  to  Revelation  and  back  again,  besides  the 
catechism  that  I'm  always  forgetting!  And  the 
worst  of  all  are  those  examinations  we  have  every 
year.     Enough  to  drive  one  crazy  ! 

I^m  sleepy  !  Let's  break  up  committee  meet- 
ing and  go  oflf  to  bed  !  " 

All  the  girls,  except  Hannah  and  Bua,  now 
arose  and  crossed  over  the  court  yard  into  their 
places  for  the  night.  When  these  two  were  left 
alone,  Bua  said,  speaking  of  Nasiban's  outburst, 
''When  will  our  sister  give  her  heart  to  Jesus? 
I  know  her  mother  well,  and  she  so  longs  to  have 
her  daughter  prepared  for  the  Lord's  work.  Nasi- 
ban reminds  me  very  much  of  her  grandmother, 
who  lived  in  our  village.  Hasty  in  temper,  but  a 
kind,  generous  heart  withal.     I  remember  that  a 


16  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

great  change  came  over  the  grandmother  in  her 
last  days.  She  became  so  loving  and  patient  that 
all  the  village  folk  noticed  it.  When  asked  how  it 
was,  she  would  say,  "  The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  and 
the  women  of  her  Sabbath  school  class  began 
praying  for  me  and  my  heart  became  softer,  and 
my  temper  less  violent.'  " 

*'  Bua  Jee,  "  said  Hannah,  "  let  us  make  Nasiban 
a  special  object  of  prayer.''  To  this  Bua  readily 
agreed.  Then  the  two  girls  parted  for  the  night, 
Hannah  saying  as  she  left,  "I  do  hope  I'll  not 
oversleep  in  the  morning.  You  know  it  is  the 
turn  of  the  girls  under  my  care  to  do  the  cooking 
this  week,  and  we  must  be  up  by  four  o'clock.*' 


IN   THE    SCHOOL   HOUSE.      AT   RECITATIONS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

'THE   PRAYER  CIRCIvES. 

MANY  years  ago,  when  Miss  McCahon  started 
the  Girls'  Boarding  School  in  Sialkot,  she 
very  wisely  conceived  the  plan  of  having  the 
girls  taught  to  do  all  their  own  work.  No  one  was 
to  enter  the  school  in  the  capacity  of  servant.  This 
plan  has  been  strictly  adhered  to  ever  since. 

For  convenience  in  performing  the  daily  round 
of  work,  the  school  was  divided  into  four  groups. 
Twenty-five  girls  were  now  in  each  group.  An 
older  girl,  or  one  who  was  trustworthy,  had  charge 
of  a  group.  These  groups,  by  turns,  performed 
all  the  work  of  the  school.  One  group  would  do 
the  cooking  for  a  week  ;  another  the  grinding  of 
wheat  and  the  washing  and  scrubbing  on  Satur- 
days ;  another  the  sweeping  of  dormitories  and 
making  of  beds,  while  the  fourth  group  would 
sweep  the  court-yard  and  draw  water. 

Hannah's  group  had  charge  of  the  cooking  this 
week.  This  was  considered  the  hardest  work  in 
the  school.  These  girls  had  to  arise  at  four  o'clock,, 
while  the  others  slept  until  six.  They  were  always^ 
glad  when  their  week  was  over. 

17 
2    G  I 


18  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

Before  going  to  sleep  Hannah  asked  the  Ivord 
to  waken  her  at  four  o'clock. 

One  day  when  some  one  asked  her  how  it  hap- 
pened she  always  awakened  just  on  time,  when  so 
many  of  the  others  overslept,  she  said,  very  mod- 
estly, ''  I  do  not  know  how  it  is,  unless  Jesus  wak- 
ens me.  I  always  ask  him  to  do  it."  Very  early 
Hannah  learned  the  power  of  prayer. 

By  four  o'clock  the  next  morning  she  aroused 
her  sleepy  girls.  Not  many  minutes  needed  to  be 
spent  on  their  simple  toilets.  They  all  took  time 
to  kneel  in  prayer,  before  beginning  the  day's 
work.  Hannah  remained  in  the  dormitory  long 
enough  to  take  her  Bible  from  the  head  of  her  bed, 
where  she  always  kept  it,  and  read  a  few  verses. 
She  found  a  precious  promise  that  brightened  all 
the  day  for  her. 

It  was  a  light-hearted  band  of  girls  that  morn- 
ing that  left  the  dormitory  and  tripped  lightly 
across  the  dark  court-yard  to  the  opposite  side, 
where  the  kitchen  and  store-rooms  were  located. 
They  unlocked  the  kitchen  door  and  soon  had  a 
bright  wood  fire  burning  in  the  mud  fire  place.  A 
large,  brass  pan  in  which  the  dough  for  their 
unleavened  cakes  had  been  mixed  the  night 
before,  was  now  uncovered  and  dragged  over  the 
uneven  brick  floor  in  front  of  the  fire  place. 

Three  girls  sat  down  beside  this  pan  and  began 
working  the  dough  into  round  balls.     These  balls 


THE    PRAYER    CIRCLES.  19 

were  pressed  and  patted,  until  nice  thin  cakes  had 
been  formed  ;  they  were  turned  over  to  a  fourth 
girl  who  sat  on  a  level  with  the  great  iron  griddle 
which  was  over  the  fire.  With  a  dexterous  use  of 
her  hand  the  cake  was  flapped  on  the  griddle. 
When  sufficiently  baked  on  one  side,  it  was  turned 
over  with  her  fingers,  where  it  remained  a  few 
moments,  then  was  taken  from  the  griddle  and 
propped  inside  the  fire-place  near  a  bed  of  red  hot 
coals.  The  girl  left  it  here  until  it  swelled  out 
into  a  large  puff.  This  was  a  sign  that  the  cake 
was  well  done.  It  was  now  thrown  into  a  flat 
basket,  where  it  lost  its  puffiness  and  was  soon 
buried  under  a  great  many  of  its  kind. 

The  girls  usually  baked  four  hundred  of  these 
cakes  for  one  meal,  and  twice  daily  was  bread  pre- 
pared in  this  way.  While  the  bread  was  baking,  a 
large  copper  kettle,  well  coated  with  tin,  was  filled 
with  water  and  set  on  the  fire.  Into  this  six  or 
seven  pounds  of  a  small  yellow  grain  were  poured. 
Savory  spices,  salt  and  red  peppers  had  been 
ground  by  some  of  the  smaller  girls,  and  were  now 
thrown  into  the  yellow  broth. 

By  and  by  breakfast  was  ready,  and  the  hungry 
children  were  ready  for  it.  They  came  running 
quickly  to  the  tables  at  the  first  sound  of  the 
breakfast  bell.  Twenty-five  sat  down  at  each  of  the 
four  long,  low  tables.  They  sat  on  matting  that 
was  spread  beside  the  tables.     The  meal,  though 


20  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS  OF    INDIA. 

homely  and  simple,  looked  very  tempting,  for  the 
tables  were  scoured  bright  and  clean,  and  the 
brass  dishes  fairly  shone.  Bach  girl  had  a  brass 
plate  and  a  brass  cup. 

'*  No  knives,  forks  or  spoons !  "  somebody  ex- 
claims, "  Why  don't  you  teach  them  to  eat  in  a 
civilized  way?" 

They  are  taught  to  eat  in  a  Christian  way. 
The  *'  knife,  fork  and  spoon ''  money  is  used  to 
support  another  child  in  the  school,  where  she 
learns  that  Christianity  is  a  change  of  heart,  and 
not  the  adoption  of  English  methods  of  living. 

Breakfast  over,  the  girls  all  remained  seated 
while  Miss  Corbett  conducted  morning  worship. 
The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  was  seated  beside  her. 
Very  earnestly  they  sang  a  portion  of  the  103d 
psalm.  All  who  could,  now  joined  in  reading  the 
eleventh  chapter  of  Luke.  Miss  Corbett  said  she 
would  like  them  all  to  memorize  the  thirteenth 
verse.  **Itwas  this  verse,''  she  continued,  that 
Mrs.  Mott  gave  such  an  earnest  talk  on,  at  the 
Lucknow  convention.  You  remember  the  Little 
Miss  Sahiba  spoke  of  it  the  other  evening.  Dear 
girls,  how  much,  oh !  how  much  we  do  need  the 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit !  '' 

Bua  arose  and  asked  if  she  might  be  allowed  to 
speak.  Permission  being  given,  she  gave  an  ac- 
count of  the  conversation  that  was  held  in  the 
study  the  evening  before.     "  I  suggest  now  that 


THE    PRAYER    CIRCLE.  21 

we  fix  some  time  daily  when  we  can  all  join  in 
prayer  for  this  blessing  we  so  much  need.  The 
only  dijSiculty  in  our  way  is  to  find  time  for  this 
extra  praying.  We  are  busy  every  hour  of  the 
day ;  some  of  us  working  from  four  in  the  morning 
until  nine  at  night." 

''  I  know  what  we  can  do, "  said  Martha,  "  we 
can  spend  from  nine  till  half  past  nine  every  even- 
ing if  the  Miss  Sahibas  will  give  us  permission 
to  do  so." 

After  considering  the  matter  carefully,  the  two 
teachers  felt  it  would  be  well  to  allow  the  girls 
this  half  hour  for  united  prayer  every  night,  and 
told  them  of  their  decision  that  evening.  Only 
those  who  so  desired  were  to  pray ;  there  was  no 
compulsion  in  the  matter. 

That  evening  as  the  clock  struck  nine,  several 
of  the  girls  followed  Bua  out  from  the  brightly 
lighted  study,  into  the  court-yard,  on  down  into  a 
dark  corner,  where  they  stood  and  prayed  one  after 
another.  This  continued  night  after  night. 
Finally,  the  circle  became  so  large  it  was  thought 
best  to  have  it  divided  into  ten  or  twelve  small 
circles,  so  that  each  girl  might  have  an  opportun- 
ity to  pray.  Had  you  been  there  in  those  nights, 
dear  readers,  you  would  have  seen  group  after 
group  of  girls  passing  from  the  study  to  the  court- 
yard. One  of  the  circles  is  standing  under  the 
delicate  foliage  of  the  acacia  tree.      The  bright 


22  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF   INDIA. 

moonlight  is  falling  softly  on  their  upturned  faces. 
Their  eyes  are  closed,  their  hands  folded.  A 
ten-year-old  girl  is  praying  :  "  Dear  Jesus,  we  do 
want  to  be  better  girls.  Please  make  us  so  we 
will  not  want  to  sin  all  the  time.  Help  us  to  obey 
our  teachers.  Make  them  good,  too.  We  need 
thy  Holy  Spirit." 

Another  prays  :  "  Take  away,  please,  all  desire 
to  sin.  The  heathen  laugh  at  us  when  we  lose 
our  tempers  and  say,  *  Oh,  you  are  no  better  than 
we  are.*  Do  please  give  us  thy  spirit.  We  are 
asking  this  just  as  we  would  ask  our  mother  for  a 
piece  of  bread,  believing  we  shall  receive  it." 

Still  another  prays :  "  Bless  the  good  people 
of  America  who  have  sent  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  us.     Give  them  thy  Holy  Spirit !  " 

And  as  we  listen  to  these  pleading  voices  of 
our  little  brown-faced  sisters  in  the  quiet  Indian 
night,  our  eyes  fill,  and  our  hearts  grow  warm  as 
we,  too,  pray  very  earnestly  that  God's  Spirit 
may  come  and  dwell  in  the  heart  of  mission- 
ary, as  well  as  native  Christian,  in  America  as  well 
as  India. 

*'  Bless  the  good  people  of  America  ! "  prayed 
the  girls  of  India.  Who  knows  how  many  of  the 
blessings  showered  down  upon  America  have  come 
in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  these  dear  children  ? 
Two  months  quickly  passed  away.  A  Sabbath 
morning  in  April  had  come.     It  was  calm  and 


THE    PRAYER    CIRCLES.  23 

bright,  as  all  such  mornings  in  India  are.  The 
girls  were  early  astir  making  preparations  for 
church  going.  In  the  hot  summer  months  the 
service  began  at  seven  o'clock.  By  half  past  six 
the  girls  had  formed  in  line  in  front  of  the  heavy 
court  yard  gate.  Very  neat  and  pretty  they  looked 
as  they  marched  through  it  a  moment  later,  each 
one  clad  in  a  clean  suit  of  clothing  with  the  soft 
white  muslin  veil  draped  gracefully  over  head  and 
shoulders. 

Four  abreast  they  marched  on  down  past  the 
garden  with  its  hedge  of  roses,  on  out  to  the  dusty 
highway,  where  thev  had  a  mile  to  traverse  before 
reaching  the  city  church.  This  road  was  always 
full  of  people  going  to  and  from  the  city  of  Sialkot. 
Many  times  the  passers-by  would  stop  and  exclaim 
in  surprise  :  "  What  a  family  of  girls  ! ''  "  How 
neat  and  clean  they  are!''  "Who  are  they?'' 
**  Where  are  they  going  ?  "  Then  from  among  them- 
selves some  one  would  reply  :  '*  Oh,  those  girls 
are  being  taught  by  the  '  Padre  lok  '  (missionary 
people)  to  become  Christians.  The  idea  of  taking 
so  much  pains  with  girls ;  they  can't  learn  any- 
thing. Why  women  and  girls  are  nothing  but 
cattle !  " 

The  girls,  if  they  heard  these  uncomplimentary 
remarks,  were  too  accustomed  to  them  to  give  any 
heed,  and  marched  steadily  on  to  church. 

On  this  particular   morning  they  reached  the 


24  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

church  only  a  few  minutes  before  time  for  opening 
service.  They  always  filled  the  front  pews  in  the 
church.  There  was  a  little  flutter  of  excitement 
in  getting  the  girls  seated.  When  this  had  died 
away,  the  minister  arose  and  introduced  to  the 
congregation  a  stranger,  a  minister  with  an  earn- 
est face,  and  clad  in  plain,  white  muslin  garments, 
such  as  are  worn  by  the  common  people. 

The  girls  looked  up  in  surprise  when  this  min- 
ister announced  as  his  text  Acts  1:8.  *'  Ye  shall 
receive  power  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come 
upon  you.''  They  whispered  one  to  another,  *'  Is 
not  God  sending  us  this  message  today?" 

In  solemn  tones  the  minister  began,  *'  The  one 
great  need  in  our  church  today  in  India,  is  the 
presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  We  have  our 
churches  and  church  services ;  our  membership 
roll  and  all  the  forms  and  ceremonies,  but  we  do 
not  have  Holy  Ghost  power.  Oh,  that  is  what  we 
need  !  In  order  to  receive  this  power  we  must  be 
willing  to  separate  from  all  known  sin.  We  must 
yield  ourselves  entirely  to  the  leadings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  To-day  there  is  much  preaching  without 
this  power.  A  water-carrier  might  just  as  well 
expect  to  quench  the  thirst  of  a  multitude  famish- 
ing for  drink  by  carrying  around  and  showing  them 
an  empty  water  skin,  as  for  a  preacher  to  expect 
to  save  souls  by  going  out  and  preaching  without 
the  indwelling  of  God's  Holy  Spirit." 


THE    PRAYER    CIRCLES.  25 

For  an  hour  he  talked,  and  the  dear  children, 
-as  well  as  all  in  that  well-filled  church,  listened 
with  rapt  attention.  He  closed  with  this  prayer : 
"Oh,  we  do  need  the  Holy  Ghost!  Give  us  thy 
Spirit,  oh  God !" 

Very  quietly  the  girls  left  the  church.  A  deep 
impression  had  been  made  on  every  heart ;  even 
Nasiban  was  more  touched  than  she  cared  to  admit. 

As  the  Ivittle  Miss  Sahiba  walked  down  the 
road  beside  the  girls  on  the  way  home,  she  over- 
heard one  saying  :  ''  No  one  went  to  sleep  to-day. 
Not  even  three-year-old  baby  Firoza." 

''  Who  could  sleep  with  a  sermon  like  that 
knocking  at  one's  heart?"  said  her  companion. 

That  afternoon  there  was  more  interest  than 
usual  taken  in  the  Sabbath  school  lesson,  when 
the  girls  met  in  the  chapel. 

The  prayer  circles  showed  a  decided  increase  in 
numbers  that  night ;  almost  every  child  in  school 
had  joined  one  of  the  praying  bands. 

Nasiban  still  held  aloof. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SHOWERS  OF  BLESSING. 

MONDAY,  Tuesday  passed.  The  interest  be- 
'**  came  intense.  Wednesday  evening  more 
than  the  usual  number  of  girls  went  down 
to  the  city  church  for  prayer  meeting.  Only  those 
remained  behind  who  were  on  duty  as  cooks  and 
nurses. 

The  prayer  meeting  that  evening  differed  in 
nothing  from  the  former  meetings.  It  was  marked 
by  the  same  dry  talks  and  long  prayers  that  had 
long  ago  killed  all  the  spiritual  life. 

The  children  grew  restless,  and  there  was  a 
little  sigh  of  relief  when  the  benediction  had  been 
pronounced  and  they  were  at  liberty  to  go. 

The  men,  as  was  the  custom,  passed  out  first. 
Then  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  arose  to  take  the  girls 
out  one  by  one ;  as  she  did  so  she  heard  the  sound 
of  weeping  close  beside  her.  Turning  half  round 
she  saw  Ruth,  a  former  school  girl,  but  now  wife 
of  one  of  the  theological  seminary  students,  weep- 
ing bitterly.     Going  up  to  her  she  said : 

26 


SHOWERS   OF    BLESSING.  27 

"  Ruth,  won't  you  tell  me  why  you  are  weeping 
in  this  way?  " 

''  Oh,  I  have  grieved  God's  Holy  Spirit  to-day," 
she  sobbed. 

'*  When  the  pastor  gave  the  general  invitation 
to  all  who  would  to  pray,  the  Spirit  said  to  me, 
*  Ruth,  pray  ! '  I  was  afraid  and  refused.  Now  I'm 
afraid  I've  driven  the  Spirit  away. 

''Oh,  what  shall  I  do  !  Only  last  night  I  prom- 
ised God  to  do  just  what  He  would  have  me  to  do, 
and  now  I've  disobeyed." 

Putting  her  arms  around  Ruth,  the  Little  Miss 
Sahiba  tried  to  comfort  her.  She  whispered  to  her, 
after  a  moment's  prayer  for  help,  ''Ruth,  the 
school  girls  are  still  here.  Won't  you  pray  with 
them?" 

She  began  to  pray  with  her  voice  trembling 
with  sobs,  but  in  the  excitement  that  ensued  no 
one  knew  what  she  said.  After  her  first  or  second 
sentence  every  girl  began  weeping. 

Isri,  who  was  sitting  on  one  of  the  front 
benches,  next  the  aisle,  jumped  up  with  a  scream 
and  rushed  out  through  the  open  door  into  the 
church  yard.  The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  followed  her 
and  asked,  "Isri,  what  is  wrong  with  you?" 

"  Pray  for  me,''  she  gasped. 

Prayer  was  ofiered  and  God  in  His  tender  love 
sent  quick  relief  to  the  bursting  heart. 


28  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

Afterwards  when  she  could  talk  about  it  she 
said :  "  When  Ruth  began  to  pray  all  the  sins  of 
my  past  life  arose  before  me  like  a  great  mountain. 
I  felt  if  I  did  not  get  forgiveness  quickly  the 
mountain  would  fall  on  me  and  crush  me.  Then 
it  was,  not  knowing  what  I  did,  that  I  screamed 
and  ran  outside  the  church.'^ 

Isri  now  came  back  into  the  church  and  helped 
the  missionaries  and  some  of  the  native  workers  in 
praying  and  talking  with  the  other  girls.  After  an 
hour  or  more  spent  in  this  way,  the  Miss  Sahibas 
felt  they  must  get  the  girls  back  to  the  school 
home.  It  was  a  touching  scene,  as  the  girls  with 
tear-stained  faces  filed  out  of  the  church  yard  into 
the  crowded  thoroughfare.  They  tried  very  hard 
to  keep  back  their  sobs,  so  that  they  might  not 
attract  attention,  but  every  now  and  then  a  sob 
would  burst  forth  from  an  aching  heart. 

When  at  last  they  were  inside  the  school  court- 
yard and  the  great  heavy  gates  had  closed  upon 
them,  shutting  them  from  the  outside  world,  the 
weeping  began  anew.  The  girls  who  were  in  the 
kitchen  on  hearing  this  came  running  out  to 
inquire  what  was  the  matter.  It  was  not  long 
until  their  prayers  and  tears  were  mingled  with 
the  others.  Supper,  which  was  being  placed  on 
the  table,  was  forgotten. 

The  next  few  hours  that  passed  inside  those 
high  brick  w^lls  will  never   be  forgotten  by   the 


SHOWERS    OF    BLESSING.  29 

Miss  Sahibas,  who  labored  with  sin-burdened  and 
sin-crushed  hearts.  God  had  answered  the  prayers 
and  was  leading  young  hearts  that  night  to  hate 
sin  and  to  turn  away  from  it  with  fear.  The  bur- 
den of  sin  seemed  to  be  crushing  every  heart. 
Sins,  that  had  been  laughed  at  and  passed  over  as 
little  faults,  now  arose  before  the  girls  and  seemed 
to  shut  them  out  from  God's  presence.  Sins  that 
had  been  unconfessed  and  hidden  for  months  were 
acknowledged  before  God  that  night. 

A  Miss  Sahiba,  on  her  way  up  and  down  the 
weeping  groups  of  girls,  would  feel  a  pull  on  her 
dress,  and  turning  around  would  have  her  heart 
melted  at  the  sight  of  a  tearful  face  looking  up  into 
hers  and  saying,  "  Please  come  over  into  this  cor- 
ner and  pray  with  me.^'  Then  the  lie,  or  theft,  or 
some  other  grievous  fault,  would  be  poured  forth 
into  the  loving  Father's  open  ear.  A  little  heart 
would  grow  happy  and  teacher  and  child  would 
then  thank  the  Father  for  victory  over  sin  and 
implore  Him  for  purity  of  heart  and  life  for  the 
future. 

Till  nearly  midnight  this  continued.  The  girls 
were  then  pursuaded  to  lie  down,  but  not  all  had 
rest.  Some  there  were  who  felt  that  not  all  could 
be  confessed.  There  was  one  sin  that  surely 
it  were  better  if  it  never  came  to  the  light,  how 
could  they  endure  the  shame  of  its  exposure.  So 
the  troubled  little  one  would  turn  over  and  try  to 


30  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

find  rest  on  her  bed,  but  no  rest  came.  God  kept 
knocking  at  the  heart's  door,  and  His  voice  seemed 
to  say  to  the  burdened  one,  ''Be  clean,  be  clean. 
Let  me  wash  away  every  stain.'' 

Oh,  may  it  not  be  there  are  some  among  God's 
children  in  America  who  should  allow  the  search- 
light to  come  in  upon  their  souls  and  reveal  to 
them  everything  that  is  pointing,  unclean,  defiling 
in  the  heart  or  habit  of  life. 

"Be  ye  clean,  that  bear  the  vessels  of  the 
Lord ! " 

The  peace  they  so  earnestly  prayed  for  did  not 
come  until  God's  Spirit  came  in  and  took  posses- 
sion of  every  corner  of  the  heart;  until  every 
known  sin  was  laid  bare  before  God. 

Oh,  the  joy  and  peace  that  came  sweeping  into 
their  hearts  after  the  surrender!  Sweet  voices 
broke  the  stillness  of  the  night  hours  in  singing 
praises  to  God  for  His  marvelous  love  and  power. 
''To  think,"  Isri  exclaimed  once  that  memorable 
night,  "  that  I  almost  doubted  the  existence  of 
God's  Holy  Spirit.  I  know  his  power  now.  I  feel 
it  in  my  own  soul. 

One  heart  remained  untouched  that  precious 
night.  No  noticeable  impression  had  been  made 
on  Nasiban.  The  next  day,  when  the  girls  were 
met  in  groups  telling  each  other  of  the  wonderful 
new  joy  and  love  that  had  come  into  their  lives, 


SHOWERS    OF    BLESSING.  31 

Nasiban  would  turn  away  and  seem  not  to  listen 
to  their  conversation.  In  the  evening  as  she  was 
passing  through  one  of  the  dormitories,  she  saw 
two  girls  seated  side  by  side.  One  was  saying, 
"  Sister,  my  heart  is  so  full  of  joy  to-day,  I  cannot 
keep  from  weeping."  This  was  more  than  Nasiban 
could  stand,  and  coming  up  in  front  of  the  two 
girls  she  said  mockingly,"  Girls,  you  are  hypocrites  ! 
What  nonsense  in  all  these  performances  !  If  you 
are  right,"  she  then  added  a  little  more  slowly, 
**  my  heart  must  be  made  of  stone,  for  I  don't  feel 
at  all  different  from  the  way  I've  always  felt.  How 
can  you  get  down  on  your  knees  and  pray  in  this 
way !  I'm  tired  of  all  this  excitement !  "  Then 
turning  abruptly,  she  left  them. 

During  one  of  those  happy  days,  Hayat  bibi,  a 
girl  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  came  up  to  the 
Little  Miss  Sahiba  and  said  : — 

"  Oh,  that  I  might  see  Jesus  !  I  want  to  feel 
his  presence !  I  want  to  know  that  He  is  with 
me.  I  know  you  are  present.  I  see  you.  I  want 
to  feel  and  see  Jesus  in  the  same  way.  My  dear 
Saviour,  I  love  Him  more  and  more;  yes,  He  is 
dearer  to  me  than  any  one  else." 

The  next  three  or  four  days  Hayat  bibi  was 
much  in  prayer. 

One  evening  she  came  with  a  radiant  face  to 
the  place  where  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  was  seated. 
No  need  to  ask  whether  prayer  had  been  answered. 


32  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

The  answer  was  written  on  her  face.  She  sat  down 
beside  the  Miss  Sahiba  and  exclaimed  joyfully: 
"  Oh,  I've  seen  Him  !  He  is  with  me  all  the  time. 
He  used  to  be  so  far  away.  Now  He  is  near,  quite 
beside  me.     I'm  so  happy !  " 

The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  rejoiced  with  her  ;  while 
her  memory  went  back  to  one  radiantly  beautiful 
night  in  Bombay,  when,  in  company  with  a  few 
other  missionaries,  she  had  gone  into  a  Methodist 
chapel  where  Bishop  Thoburn  was  preaching.  Of 
the  hour's  sermon  all  she  remembered  were  these 
words : 

"  I  know  Jesus  stands  beside  me  in  this  pulpit. 
When  I  walk  down  the  aisle,  Jesus  will  go  with  me. 
As  I  pass  out  into  the  narrow  streets,  I  will  not  be 
alone.  Jesus  will  still  be  walking  by  my  side." 
She  could  never  forget  the  glad  consciousness  that 
came  to  her  that  night  of  the  presence  of  Jesus 
with  her. 

"  Dear  Hayat  bibi,"  she  said,  *'  let  us  live  so 
Jesus  will  never  have  to  depart  from  our  side." 

"  Amen,"  softly  murmured  the  earnest  girl. 

A  spirit  of  love  and  helpfulness  prevailed  in  the 
school.  Selfishness  had  ruled  to  a  great  extent  in 
the  school  heretofore,  but  now  each  girl  seemed  to 
desire  above  everything  else  to  help  a  sister  in 
need. 

Little  Karim  bibi,  seven  years  of  age,  was  so 
very  small  and  delicate  she  was  never  called  upon 


AT   SUPPER.      BEDS   READY   FOR   THE   NIGHT. 


SHOWERS    OF    BLESSING.  33 

by  the  girls  to  take  part  in  the  work.  They  all 
loved  her  and  found  her  very  amusing  as  a 
plaything. 

She  watched  the  older  and  stronger  girls  as  they 
sought  opportunity  to  show  their  love  to  Jesus  by 
helping  others,  some  of  them  now  helping  Miss 
Corbett  Sahiba  to  dress  the  ugly  sores  on  Hannah 
IV's  feet.  She  became  very  anxious  to  do  some- 
thing. One  day  she  went  over  to  the  bedside  of  a 
sick  girl  and  asked  her  if  she  would  not  like  to 
have  a  drink  of  water.  '^  Yes,  indeed,"  said  the 
fever  patient,  "  but  Karim  bibi,  you  are  too  small 
to  draw  water  in  that  heavy  iron  bucket." 

A  happy  thought  came  to  little  Karim.  Away 
she  ran  to  one  of  the  older  girls  and  said,  *'  Sister, 
won't  you  please  let  me  help  you  draw  a  bucket  of 
water  ?  "  ''  Help  me,"  the  big  girl  said  laughingly. 
"  Why  you  little  midget,  what  makes  you  think  I 
need  your  help  ?  "  "  Oh,  it  isn't  that,''  Karim  said, 
as  the  big  tears  chased  each  other  over  her  little 
brown  cheeks.  "  I  know  I'm  little  and  not  worth 
much,  but  I  do  want  to  help  somebody.  I  thought 
you  would  not  mind  letting  me  help  you  draw 
water,  so  I  could  take  a  drink  over  there  to  our 
sick  sister." 

She  was  allowed  to  take  hold  of  the  rope  with 
her  chubby  little  hands,  and  proudly  did  she  help 
to  draw  the  iron  bucket  filled  with  delicious  water 
from  the  deep  well.     With  a  happy  face,  she  carried 

SGI 


34  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

a  brass  cupful  over  to  the  sick  girl,  who  eagerly 
drank  it.  As  she  thanked  the  little  helper  for  her 
love,  Karim  said,  "  Now  I  have  done  something 
for  Jesus." 

After  experiencing  this  blessed  new  life  for  a 
few  days,  the  girls  began  to  long  for  their  friends 
and  relations  to  receive  similar  blessings.  Some 
of  the  more  impulsive  wanted  to  start  right  back 
to  the  village  homes  to  tell  their  people  of  the  good 
news.  When  they  spoke  to  the  Miss  Sahibas  about 
it,  the  reply  they  received  was : 

"  Girls,  you  cannot  go  back  to  your  homes 
alone.  Some  of  you  live  forty  miles  distant,  and 
we  cannot  afford  to  send  any  one  with  you.  We 
sympathize  with  you  in  this  desire  you  have  to 
help  your  dear  ones.  Here  is  something  you  may 
do.  To-morrow  we  will  give  you  a  holiday,  and 
if  you  like  you  may  spend  the  whole  day  in  writ- 
ing to  your  friends."  This  pleased  the  girls  ex- 
ceedingly well. 

Early  next  morning  the  house  work  was 
finished.  Matting  was  spread  on  the  long  veranda. 
Paper,  ink,  and  reeds  for  pens  were  brought  out, 
.and  in  a  short  time  the  one  hundred  girls  were  all 
busy,  some  making  pens,  some  writing,  while  the 
little  ones  who  could  not  yet  write  were  seated  by 
the  older  girls,  dictating  heart  messages  for  the 
loved  ones  in  the  distant  village  home. 


SHOWERS  OF  BLESSING.  35 

Never  had  such  a  pile  of  letters  awaited  the 
faithful  Jassu,  who  carried  the  school  mail,  as  he 
found  the  next  morning. 

Never  had  letters  from  the  school  been  so 
fraught  with  earnest  messages  as  those  that  left 
the  school  that  morning.  Usually  the  girls  wrote 
home  once  a  month,  briefly,  something  like  the 
following : 

Dear  and  Respected  Parents : 

By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  well.  I  pray  you 
may  also  be  kept  well.  I  am  making  good 
progress  in  my  studies.  (No  matter  how  low  the 
grades,  this  message  always  went  home.)  Please 
send  me  some  spending  money.  I  need  hair  oil 
and  a  pair  of  shoes.  Pray  for  me.  My  salaams  to 
all  from  the  greatest  to  the  least. 

The  writer  is  your  daughter , 

The  change  that  had  come  in  the  hearts  of  the 
girls  was  plainly  seen  in  the  letters  written  that 
day. 

When  one  of  these  white  missives  reached  a 
poor  village  home,  a  few  days  afterward,  and  was 
handed  to  the  parents  by  the  rural  postman,  they 
requested  him  to  read  the  letter,  as  no  one  else  in 
the  village  could.  Good  naturedly,  he  stopped 
long  enough  to  do  so.  As  he  stood  under  the  old 
banyan  tree,  with  its  air  roots  lightly  touching  his 
bright  yellow  turban,  he  was  surrounded  by  most 
of  the  little   girl's   relations,   all  of  whom   were 


36  ONE  HUNDRED  GIRLS  OF  INDIA. 

deeply  interested  in  her.  The  father  sat  upon  the 
low  mud  wall  that  surrounded  the  one-roomed 
mud  hut.  The  mother  stood  timidly,  a  little 
apart,  holding  a  baby  boy. 

"  What  a  long  letter,"  said  the  postman,  as  he 
took  out  two  closely  written  sheets  from  the 
envelope.  *'Are  you  sure  my  daughter  wrote  it," 
the  mother  inquired  anxiously.  "  Is  she  well?" 
"Oh,  yes ;  her  name  is  signed  here  all  right." 

"  Read  it,''  said  the  father. 

No  wonder  they  all  listened  so  attentively,  for 
the  postman  was  now  busy  reading  the  burning 
words  that  had  been  penned  by  the  little  daughter : 

*'0h,  my  dear  parents,''  she  wrote,  ''a  great 
blessing  has  come  to  our  school.  Will  you  not 
pray  and  pray  until  God  sends  his  Holy  Spirit  into 
your  hearts?  Don't  live  any  longer  in  sin.  We 
belong  to  Jesus.  He  is  coming  again.  It  may  be 
very  soon.  Are  you  ready  to  meet  Him  ?  Are 
you  doing  all  you  can  to  get  the  neighbors  ready 
for  His  coming?  Begin  praying  to-night.  Ask 
God  to  show  you  what  is  wrong  in  your  lives.  I 
am  praying  for  you.     God  bless  you  all.'' 

When  the  letter  was  finished  the  silence  was 
broken  by  one  of  the  men  saying,  ''Bhagan  has 
been  taught  of  God.  Let  us  pray  now."  Standing 
and  kneeling  that  band  of  poorly  clad  people 
poured  out  their  hearts  before  God  and  asked  that 
they,  too,  might  receive  the  "showers  of  blessing.'* 


SHOWERS   OF    BLESSING.  37 

This  was  the  beginning  of  the  work  of  grace  in 
that  village,  and  in  many  others  where  the  chil- 
dren's letters  were  received. 

"  I  thank  God  for  my  little  daughter,"  said  a 
big  brown  man  to  the  Miss  Sahibas  one  day.  "  I 
have  been  brought  to  God  through  her  prayers. " 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   LOT  OF  HEATHEN  WOMAN. 

MAD  anyone  asked  the  two  Miss  Sahibas,  who 
had  charge  of  the  girls'  school,  which  day  of 
the  week  was  the  fullest  of  work,  they  would 
have  found  it  difi&cult  to  answer.     Every  day  was 
full  and  often  the  length  of  their  day  was  eighteen 
hours. 

Had  the  school  girls  been  asked  this  question, 
undoubtedly  they  would  have  replied  unanimously, 
"  Saturday.'^ 

There  were  no  lessons  recited  on  Saturday ;  but 
on  that  day  everything  received  a  thorough  clean- 
ing. The  brick  floors  were  swept  and  scrubbed. 
The  mud  fire-place  received  a  fresh  coat  of  clay. 
The  washing  was  done,  beds  aired,  heads  washed, 
and  at  evening  time,  when  all  the  girls  had  put  on 
clean  clothing  and  braided  their  black  hair  neatly, 
the  Miss  Sahibas  felt,  as  they  looked  into  the  clean, 
bright  faces,  that  it  was  good  to  spend  their  lives 
with  these  girls  of  India. 

An  extra  dinner  was  prepared  on  Saturday. 
Once  a  week  only  did  the  girls  have  meat  and  this 
was  for  Saturday's  dinner. 

38 


THE    LOT   OF    HEATHEN    WOMEN.  39 

One  Saturday  afternoon,  when  the  girls  were 
busy  in  kitchen  and  wash  house,  a  sound  of 
women's  voices  and  the  tinkling  of  their  silver 
anklets  came  to  the  ears  of  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba, 
who  was  pouring  over  the  monthly  school  account. 
She  went  to  the  sitting-room  door  and  on  opening 
it  saw  three  muffled  figures  standing  just  outside 
on  the  veranda.  A  closed  carriage  stood  in  front 
of  the  veranda.  Evidently  these  sheeted  figures 
were  high  caste  women  from  the  city,  who  had 
slipped  away  from  their  homes  ;  but  why  had  they 
come  out  to  the  Christian  girls'  school  ? 

They  were  invited  to  come  inside,  but  they 
hesitated  until  they  were  assured  that  not  a  man 
would  see  them.  After  this  they  came  stumbling 
in.  They  could  scarcely  see,  so  heavily  veiled 
were  their  faces.  Once  inside  and  the  door  closed, 
they  threw  off  their  outer  wrappings.  Three  nice- 
looking,  well-dressed  women,  covered  with  gold 
and  silver  jewelry,  stood  facing  the  Miss  Sahiba. 
The  eldest  one  said:  *' We  learned  from  Mrs. 
Shahbaz  (she  was  the  pastor's  wife)  that  you  have 
a  school  here  where  girls  are  taught,  and  we 
wanted  to  see  you  and  these  girls.  So  to-day 
while  our  husbands  were  away  at  court  we  hiired  a 
carriage  and  came  out  to  see  you." 

"We  want  to  see  everything."  Straightway 
they  began  to  examine  with  interest  the  pictures 
on    the   wall.     "  Who  is  this  ?  "  asked  one  of  the 


40  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

women  pointing  to  a  photograph.  '^That  is  a 
picture  of  my  sister,''  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  replied. 
All  three  now  looked  at  it  intently.  Then  one, 
shaking  her  head  sadly,  said,  "If  I  was  thousands 
of  miles  away  from  my  sister  I  wouldn't  want  her 
picture.  You  can  see  her  features  clearly,  her 
eyes,  but  they  do  not  see  you;  her  mouth,  but 
it  cannot  speak  to  you.  How  can  you  bear  to 
be  thus  reminded  of  one  you  cannot  see  for  so 
long  a  time  ? ''  Then  they  must  know  all  about  both 
the  Miss  Sahiba's  relations.  Why  had  they  left 
them  to  come  to  India ;  did  they  not  long  to  see 
them,  etc. 

By  and  by  they  were  ready  to  go  out  into  the 
school  buildings.  When  the  office  door  was  opened 
and  they  had  stepped  down  two  steps  into  the 
great  walled-in  yard,  a  busy  scene  met  their  eyes. 
Girls  seated  by  the  wash  tubs,  their  hands  white 
with  suds,  girls  hanging  clothing  on  the  wire  line, 
girls  with  wet  hair  hanging  down  their  backs,  girls 
everywhere,  thought  these  heathen  women.  "What 
a  family!"  exclaimed  one.  "  Come  girls,'' called 
the  Miss  Sahiba,  "  drop  your  work  for  a  few  min- 
utes and  come  over  and  sing  for  our  sisters  who 
have  come  out  from  the  city  to  see  us."  No  sec- 
ond invitation  was  needed.  They  came  running 
across  the  well-tramped  yard  and  gathered  around 
the  Miss  Sahiba,  waiting  for  the  signal  to  sing. 
When  it  was  given  the  girlish  voices  all  joined  in 


THE    LOT    OF    HEATHEN    WOMAN.  41 

singing  psalm  after  psalm.  The  heathen  women 
stood  spell-bound.  Finally  one  whispered,  "  Am 
I  not  in  heaven?  " 

After  thanking  the  girls  for  their  singing,  the 
eldest  woman  said  so  earnestly,  with  tears  flowing 
fast,  "Dear  daughters,  never  be  ungrateful  for 
what  you  are  learning  here.  Some  of  us  would 
have  been  glad  to  have  your  opportunities.  You 
have  much  freedom.  You  will  be  loved  and 
respected  when  you  go  out  into  homes  of  your 
own.  You  will  never  know  what  it  is  to  be  shut 
inside  four  walls  and  never  to  get  away,  unless  you 
steal  away,  as  we  did  to-day.  The  blessing  of  God 
rest  upon  those  who  teach  you." 

^'Peace  be  with  you,''  said  the  girls,  as  the  three 
sad-faced  heathen  women  turned  away  and  passed 
through  the  office  door.  They  said  it  was  now 
time  for  them  to  return  to  their  homes,  for  they 
must  be  back  before  their  husbands. 

"  What  would  you  do,''  asked  the  Miss  Sahiba, 
*4f  your  husband  should  learn  of  your  visit  to  us 
to-day?" 

''Oh,  they  will  never  know  of  it,"  one  con- 
fidently declared. 

"But  suppose  they  should  ask  if  you  had  ever 
been  away  from  home." 

"  I  would  say,  'Of  course  I  have  not  been  away 
from  home ;  would  you  expect  me  to  do  as  those 


42 


ONE  HUNDRED  GIRI^  OF  INDIA. 


ears  of  our  husbands  thaVlvtri  '°'"'  '°  ^^^ 
would  mean  instant  divorcTdT  T  ""^'y'  »* 
very  least,  and  probab  IT  'i  ^'^'^  for  life  at  the 
Oh,  yes;  there  are  ^at  ^a  ^T  '^  ^^^  -«3- 
women  in  our  count" -a  S;'  ^'"'"^  ""^  «f 
<5«ing  a  plague  of'  cSo^i  '  Wh"  "  *'^  '°°^ 
vestigate?     Only  a  choleT       .  '^""^'^    ^°- 

corpse  and  burn  L''  '''^'''°-      ^^ke   the 

;^;"\*^"^^^'««I"^sbandsknow?» 

to  make  life  a  liftle  bw!;,.  /' "^""^"^  "^^^one 
sisters?  True  it  wis  '"^f  i  "^""^  '^'  ''^^then 
gWs  were  being  tr"?nedfn."b''.°''"'^'^'^''"le 
God-fearing  homes   °w  '  ''^°°^  ''^  ^'ve  in 

freedom ;  but  Xtwl  2  TT  '^^^  ^°-  -^ 

tbe  mission  fieldfeW  n/t"o  tf  n  "'°  ^^^  ^ 
terian  church  !  ^  ^  '°  '^^  ^^^'ed  Presby- 

-ftlVMiriahtrs  r"-'  ?  ^^^'«  ^rew 
Saturday  evening,  fta  talk  "'"'  '^'''  ^"^'°"  <»» 
was  near  to  their  heartl  ^"^  ^"^^  ^"bject  that 

than^ftefknew'' bT"  '''  *°"^^^<^  '^em  more 
--^eatlovinghe^rtwrtedT^S- 


THE  LOT  OF  HEATHEN  WOMAN.  43 

for  every  one.     She  told  the  girls  a  pitiful  story 
that  evening  that  none  who  hear  can  forget : 

"  Several  summers  ago  when  I  was  in  my 
father's  home  in  Zafarwal,  the  Miss  Sahibas  lived 
there,  too,  with  our  beloved  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Barr. 
One  morning  they  took  me  out  to  a  village  on  the 
border  of  Jammu  territory.  We  had  never  visited 
the  people  of  that  village,  and  as  they  are  very 
superstitious  and  afraid  of  the  white  people,  we 
entered  the  village  very  carefully.  We  left  our 
cart  a  short  distance  outside,  and  the  three  of  us 
walked  in.  We  passed  several  closed  doors  and 
walked  on  until  we  came  to  an  open  door  in  which 
a  Hindu  woman  was  standing.  She  beckoned  us 
to  enter  and  this  we  gladly  did.  The  old  bedstead 
was  brought  out  for  us  to  sit  on.  A  bright,  pretty 
girl  eleven  years  of  age,  perhaps,  stood  near  by. 
I  was  at  once  interested  in  her,  she  looked  so 
pleasant.  The  woman  seeing  me  look  at  the  girl, 
seemed  pleased  and  said,  *'She  is  my  daughter. 
You  may  think  it  strange  to  see  a  daughter  in  my 
house."  ''Why  strange?"  I  inquired.  "Don't 
you  know,"  said  this  Hindu  woman,  "  that  it  is 
against  the  religion  of  the  caste  I  belong  to,  to 
allow  a  girl  to  live.  This  is  my  seventh  daughter ; 
six  I  killed,  but  with  the  seventh  such  great  love 
came  I  spared  her."  '^  Oh !  oh !  "  groaned  the 
girls,  and  they  shuddered  as  Bua  continued.  ''  I 
never  knew  till  that  day  there  was  such  a  caste, 


44  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

neither  did  the  Miss  Sahibas  know  of  it.  The  way 
she  killed  the  babies  was  heart-rending.  A  little 
grave  was  dug  in  one  of  the  inner  rooms  in  which 
the  baby  girl  was  placed,  and  a  few  sticks  placed 
over  the  hole.  There  the  little  thing  would  be  left 
to  die  alone." 

"  Oh  Bua,"  sobbed  Hannah,  "  how  could  her 
mother-heart  be  so  cruel?  " 

''  She  did  it,  Hannah,  in  the  name  of  religion. 
She  said  to  us,  I  remember :  *  Perhaps  I've  done 
wrong  to  allow  this  daughter  to  live,  it  is  against 
our  religion.  She  is  to  be  married  to-day,  and  I'm 
in  disgrace  among  my  people  because  a  bride  goes 
from  my  house  ;  but  oh  !  I  loved  her  so  !'  " 

"  Doesn't  the  British  government  punish  such 
crimes  severely?"  now  inquired  Viro  of  Miss 
Corbett. 

*'  Yes,  it  does,"  said  Miss  Corbett,  *' when  it  can 
find  evidence  against  one  who  has  killed  a  girl 
baby  he  is  dealt  with  as  a  murderer,  but  this  village 
of  which  Bua  has  told  you  is  on  the  border  of 
native  territory.  You  know  what  a  bad,  lawless 
set  of  people  dwell  on  the  border.  Good  laws  do 
not  always  prohibit!" 

''  Oh,  I'm  so  thankful  I'm  a  Christian  !"  Hannah 
said  to  herself,  "  I  must  spend  my  life  in  teaching 
these  poor  women  of  Jesus,  who  came  to  set  us  free 
from  this  bondage  of  fear  and  superstition." 

"Girls,''   now    said   the    Little   Miss   Sahiba, 


THE    LOT    OF    HEATHEN    WOMAN.  45 

"would  you  like  to  hear  about  a  woman  I  met  in 
our  city  last  Saturday?"  '*  Oh,  yes,"  chimed  a 
chorus  of  voices,  "tell  us  all  about  it." 

"  I  was  very  tired  that  afternoon  and  thought  it 
would  rest  me,  perhaps,  to  go  into  the  city  and  see 
some  of  the  women.  I  visited  only  one  house.  It 
belonged  to  a  Hindu  family.  I  climbed  the  nar- 
row, dirty  stairway  to  the  second  floor  where  the 
living  apartments  were  and  found  an  elderly  woman 
seated  on  a  low  stool  doing  nothing.  She  had  an 
unusually  attractive  face.  I  felt  drawn  to  her  at 
once.  After  the  usual  salutations  and  greetings 
were  over,  she  said  to  me,  '  Are  there  any  flowers 
in  your  garden  now?  '  " 

"  Beautiful  roses,"  I  said,  "  an  abundance  of 
them ;  crimson,  pink,  yellow,  white,  sweet  and 
fragrant." 

"  Oh,  I  wish  you  had  brought  me  one ;  I  would 
like  to  see  a  rose." 

"  You  poor  thing,"  I  said  pityingly,  "  come  out 
to  our  place  and  I  will  give  you  all  you  can  carry." 

"  Do  you  know  what  you  are  asking  me  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  am  asking  you  to  come  out  and  visit 
our  home,  and  see  our  lovely  flowers." 

"  My  hair,  you  see,  is  white.  I'm  old.  I  came 
to  this  house  when  I  was  eight  years  old,  a  bride. 
I've  never  been  outside  since.  I'll  never  go  out 
until  I  am  carried  out  dead." 


46  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

An  awful  pity  came  into  my  heart  for  this  sad 
woman. 

I  told  her  of  the  green  wheat  fields  stretching 
out  in  every  direction ;  of  the  snow-capped  moun- 
tains in  the  north,  that  gladden  our  eyes  these 
days ;  of  the  flowers  blooming  in  our  gardens. 

"  Didn't  God  give  you  eyes  as  well  as  your 
husband  that  you  might  enjoy  all  this,"  I  asked. 

"Sometimes,"  she  said,  "  at  night  when  every 
one  is  asleep  I  climb  up  on  the  house  top,  and  I 
see  a  bit  of  blue  sky  above  me,  the  stars  shining 
down  on  me.  I  hear  blowing  in  the  soft  night 
wind,  the  branches  of  trees,  the  tops  of  which  I've 
seen."  "  Oh,  girls,  she  had  seen  the  tops  of  trees, 
but  never  a  whole  tree." 

I  couldnH  bear  to  have  her  tell  me  more,  for  my 
heart  was  just  breaking  over  the  sadness  of  her 
shutin  life,  and  I  burst  out  with : 

"It  isn't  just,  it  isn't  right,  that  woman,  whom 
God  made,  should  be  treated  in  this  way." 

"  I've  felt  that  way  myself,"  she  said,  oh  so 
patiently,  "  I've  thought  it  all  over  time  after  time ; 
until  I've  feared  my  reason  would  go.  What  is 
the  use  of  talking  in  this  strain  ?  I  long  for  freedom, 
but  I  cannot  have  it,  unless  the  men  grant  it.  Go 
and  persuade  the  men  to  let  us  have  it.  Cannot 
the  sarkar — British  government — in  some  way 
compel  the  men  to  give  us  freedom? " 


THE    LOT    OF    HEATHEN   WOMAN.  47 

"  Oh,  my  poor  sisters !  My  poor  suflfering  sisters  ! 
Is  there  nothing  we  can  do  to  lift  this  burden  of 
sorrow  from  their  hearts?"  said  Bua,  while  the 
other  girls  all  remained  seated  quietly,  after  hearing 
these  sad  recitals  of  India's  women. 


CHAPTER  V. 
nasiban's  conversion. 

THE  summer  months  had  done  their  work  well, 
with  their  hot,  withering  blasts.  The  plains 
of  the  Punjab,  lay  stretched  out  bare  and 
quivering  under  the  awful  blaze  of  the  sun,  all 
through  the  months  of  April,  May  and  June.  July 
came  at  last ;  July  with  its  welcome  clouds  and 
copious  showers.  The  earth  revived.  The  people 
rejoiced  as  they  looked  out  upon  the  new  green 
robe  that  now  covered  the  nakedness  of  the  land. 
The  flowers  in  the  garden  tried  feebly  to  add  color 
to  the  greenness  of  earth's  attire,  but  the  scorching 
winds  had  done  their  work  so  eflfectually  that  the 
result  was  only  a  few,  poor  little  rose  buds,  almost 
devoid  of  fragrance.  The  grass  grew  everyw^here. 
It  grew  tall  and  rank.  It  grew  in  tufts  in  the 
corners  of  the  flat,  mud  roofs.  It  even  tried  to 
spring  up  in  the  hard  ground  of  the  girls'  court- 
yard. 

Malaria  filled  the  land.  Its  poison  was  wafted 
on  the  damp  night  breezes.  It  was  detected  in 
the  steamy  atmosphere  of  mid-day.  August  brought 
the  visit  of  this  intruder.     It  always  came, 

48 


BABYj^FIROZA, 


nasiban's  conversion.  49 

Teachers  and  girls  now  felt  the  need  of  a  rest. 
About  the  middle  of  the  month  school  was  closed. 
All  the  girls  except  the  five  orphans  went  to  their 
homes  for  the  six  weeks'  vacation.  Some  were 
able  to  reach  home  after  a  few  hours'  travel  by 
railway.  The  larger  number,  however,  who  came 
from  villages,  had  to  trudge  many  miles  of  muddy 
road  and  path  before  reaching  home.  They  had 
swollen  streams  to  ford.  Tired  and  hungry  they 
would  sit  down  by  the  roadside  under  the  shade  of 
a  shisham  tree  at  the  midday  hour,  and  eat  the 
lunch  of  unleavened  cakes  and  spiced  mangoes  that 
they  carried  tied  in  a  bandana.  If  home  was  not 
reached  the  first  day,  the  night  would  be  spent  on 
some  friendly  villager's  roof  or  in  his  crowded 
court-yard.  Only  a  very  few  of  the  girls  had 
parents  who  could  afford  to  pay  pony  or  carriage 
hire. 

Fever  and  cholera  raged  through  the  months  of 
August  and  September  out  in  the  rural  districts. 
The  Christians  remained  untouched  by  these  dread 
diseases.  They  thanked  God  for  their  good  health. 
In  India  God  receives  the  credit  when  life  is 
spared.  While  the  heathen  were  dying  by  the 
hundreds  in  and  around  the  village  of  Chimma,  the 
Christians  of  that  place  used  to  meet  three  times 
daily  in  the  little  mud  church  for  prayer.  ^*  We 
prayed  and  kept  our  houses  clean  and  well 
sprinkled  with  lime,"  said  the  native  minister 
naively,  **  and  all  our  lives  were  spared." 

4GI 


50  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

The  children  all  came  back  to  school  in  the 
beginning  of  October.  Happy  they  were  to  be 
once  more  in  the  "dua  ki  jagah" — place  of  prayer 
— as  they  lovingly  termed  the  school  in  those 
days. 

The  days  glided  quickly  by.  The  last  day  of 
the  old  year  had  come,  the  evening  of  that  last  day. 
It  was  nine  o'clock.  The  girls  were  met  in  the 
dear  old  study  room.  Every  one  was  present 
except  Bua,  who  lay  sick  with  fever  in  the  adjoin- 
ing room.  It  was  a  chilly  night  outside.  Frost 
was  in  the  air.  Inside  a  fire  burned  brightly  in 
the  small  stove. 

*'  To-night  God  will  close  His  great  account 
book,  girls,"  said  one  of  the  Miss  Sahibas,  "  and 
will  open  another  whose  every  page  will  be  v^hite 
and  pure." 

''What  has  gone  on  record  concerning  our 
school  ?  Much,  I  know,  that  we  would  gladly 
have  erased,  much  that  causes  rejoicing.  Have 
you  not  given  your  hearts  to  Jesus  this  year, 
every  one  except  our  dear  Nasiban?''  Here  she 
turned  toward  Nasiban,  who  sat  alone  in  one  cor- 
ner of  the  room,  looking  as  though  she  had  no 
lieart  or  interest  in  this  meeting.  ''Nasiban,"  she 
•said  gently,  "won't  you  come  to  Jesus  to-night? 
Oh,  dear  child,  give  your  heart  to  Him  before  the 
year  closes!  Let  us  enter  upon  the  new  year  an 
unbroken  band  in  our  Master's  presence.  Won't 
you  come?" 


nasiban's  conversion.  51 

An  intense  silence  filled  the  room  as  all  the 
girls  waited  for  Nasiban's  answer.  She  gave  none, 
but  her  face  showed  her  utter  indiflference  to  the 
pleading  of  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba. 

"Girls,  let  us  pray  for  Nasiban  to-night,  pray 
as  we  have  never  prayed  before.'' 

Every  head  was  instantly  bowed  to  the  floor 
except  Nasiban's,  and  praying  began  that  contin- 
ued for  two  hours.  "  How  could  she  remain  so 
obdurate,"  thought  the  Miss  Sahibas,  as  they  lis- 
tened to  the  earnest  prayers.  "  Was  it  true  that 
her  heart  was  stone  ?  Was  there  no  way  to  touch 
her,  to  remove  this  unconcern  from  her  face,  and 
to  melt  her  heart?  " 

Weeping,  the  children  now  prayed  and  Nasi- 
ban still  sat  bolt  upright.  A  mocking  smile  that 
passed  over  her  face  seemed  to  say,  "  Pray  on  if 
you  like,  girls,  it  will  not  hurt  me ;  neither  will  it 
do  any  good.'' 

Solemnly  the  clock  ticked  away  the  last  min- 
utes of  the  old  year.  It  was  now  fifteen  minutes 
to  twelve. 

The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  moved  closer  to  Nasi- 
ban and  looking  into  her  face,  said:  ''  Nasiban,  do 
you  know  what  we  are  doing  here  to-night?  We 
are  praying  for  your  soul's  salvation.  Have  you 
no  concern  yourself?  For  nine  months  or  more 
you  have  been  prayed  for.  God's  spirit  has  pleaded 
with  you.     Do  not  dare  to  resist  longer.     Fifteen 


52  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

minutes  left  in  which  to  make  peace  with  God  be- 
fore the  beginning  of  another  year.  This  may  be  the 
last  time  Jesus  will  pass  your  way.  Oh,  come  to 
him  now,  Nasiban.'' 

Sobs  arose  from  the  praying  girls.  Slowly  the 
clock  ticked  on.  *'Ten  minutes  now  left  for  you, 
Nasiban."  Her  head  began  to  droop  and  her  face 
had  a  drawn,  frightened  appearance.  ''  Eight  min- 
utes only.'^  Her  eyes  had  now  a  beseeching  look. 
"  Seven — six — soon  the  year  will  be  gone  and  Nas- 
iban not  saved.'' 

With  a  scream  she  now  jumped  up  and  said, 
"  I  cannot  endure  this  any  longer !  Where  is  Bua? 
I've  sinned  against  her,  and  must  ask  her  forgive- 
ness. Do  take  me  to  Bua ! ''  She  rushed  out  of 
the  door  and  finding  Bua's  bedside,  threw  herself 
beside  it  in  a  wild  fashion,  calling  out,  "  Bua,  for 
Jesus'  sake,  forgive  me  the  great  wrong  I  did  you. 
Ask  God  to  save  me.''  Then  she  began  praying 
for  herself:  ''Oh,  God,  save  me.  I've  been  so 
stubborn  and  wicked.  I  do  come  now  and  give 
my  heart  to  Thee.  Save  me  now,  save  me  lest  I 
die." 

Bua,  out  of  the  depths  of  her  heart's  love  for 
this  wayward  child  prayed.  The  hard  heart  was 
melted  now,  the  stubborn  will  had  yielded  and 
Nasiban  arose  with  a  bright  light  or  her  face. 
With  a  sweet  smile  she  said  to  Bua.  "  It  was  hard 
to  give  up,  but  I'm  happy   now.     I  must  go  back 


nasiban's  conversion.  53 

and  tell  the  girls."  She  entered  the  room  just  as 
the  clock  began  striking  the  midnight  hour. 

"  Sisters,  rejoice  with  me,  your  prayers  are  an- 
swered," was  her  greeting.  "  I've  given  my  heart 
to  Jesus.'' 

Great  joy  had  we  experienced  in  that  school  in 
past  days,  but  nothing  equaled  what  we  felt  that 
night.  The  battle  was  a  hard  one.  Victory  was 
sweet  to  the  dear  girls.  Nasiban  had  struggled 
hard  not  to  be  brought  in.  The  girls  realized  that 
night  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  taken  by 
violence.  Nasiban  was  fairly  overwhelmed  by  the 
affection  showered  upon  her  in  the  next  few 
minutes  by  the  happy  girls. 

A  thanksgiving  meeting  was  held  in  which 
earnest  hearts  poured  forth  thanks,  praise  and 
gratitude  to  God  for  all  He  had  done  for  them  that 
wonderful  year. 

Three  years  later  and  ten  thousand  miles  dis- 
tant from  that  place  are  these  experiences  being 
written,  but  neither  time  nor  distance  can  efface 
from  the  memory  the  joy  of  that  blessed  year.  Its 
sweet  influences  are  felt  over  North  India  to-day. 
Some  hearts  in  the  home  land  are  thanking  God 
for  those  days  of  spiritual  awakening. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SELF-SUPPORT. 

ON  a  sandy  bank  of  the  river  Ben  stood  the  vil- 
lage of  Nidala.  In  appearance  it  resembled 
the  thousands  of  other  villages  in  the  Zafar- 
wal  Mission  district.  Its  one  thousand  inhabitants 
lived  in  tiny  mud  houses  that  were  joined  one  to 
another.  A  few  narrow  streets  ran  through  the 
village.  A  boy,  with  only  a  slight  amount  of 
agility,  could  easily  jump  across  them  from  one 
house  top  to  another,  and  so  run  over  the  top  of 
the  whole  village.  When  a  boy  is  sent  to  a 
neighbor's  house  on  an  errand  in  one  of  these  vil- 
lages, he  usually  prefers  climbing  the  mud  stair- 
way and  scampering  across  the  expanse  of  mud 
roofs,  to  the  dusty  streets  below. 

In  one  corner  of  the  village,  down  in  the 
poorest,  meanest  quarter,  lived  a  handful  of 
Christians — a  dozen  or  more  families.  This  is  the 
reason  we  are  interested  in  Nidala. 

They  were  a  poor  people,  poor  even  for  India. 
Some  of  them,  at  times,  bemoaned  their  fate. 
They  worked  early  and  late  for  the  farmers  and 
received  so  little  in  return.     The  children,  with 

64 


SELF-SUPPORT.  55 

pinched  faces,  would  often  cry  for  "  roti,  roti '' — 
"  bread,  bread  " — and  there  would  be  no  roti  to 
give.  The  parents  wondered  at  such  times  if  life 
was  worth  living.  When  this  despondent  spirit 
would  take  hold  of  the  hearts  of  the  Christians,  the 
blind  wife  of  the  leading  Christian  in  the  village 
would  call  them  into  her  home  and  repeat  to  them 
promise  after  promise  from  God's  word.  She  had 
suffered  too ;  but  her  faith  was  so  strong  and  her 
hope  for  the  future  so  bright,  that  soon  the  wail  of 
despair^would  give  place  to  psalms  of  triumph, 
and  the  Christians  would  go  back  to  their  places 
of  labor  with  new  courage. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  up  the  stream,  on  its 
north  bank,  the  Mission  had  erected  a  comfortable 
cottage  of  sun-dried  brick  for  the  Rev.  Ganda  Mall 
and  his  family.  They  had  been  assigned  to  this 
place  a  few  years  previous  to  the  one  in  which  the 
work  of  grace  began  in  Sialkot. 

Rev.  Ganda  Mall  was  pastor  of  the  Nidala 
congregation.  He  also  had  charge  of  the  work  in 
the  surrounding  villages.  He  will  be  better  known 
to  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  history  of  the 
India  Mission  as  the  son  of  Kanaya.  Dr.  Andrew 
Gordon,  it  will  be  remembered,  wrote  a  graphic 
account  of  Kanaya's  conversion.  Ganda  Mall  was 
the  second  son.  He  found  his  wife  in  the  Sialkot 
girl's  school  when  Miss  McCahon  had  charge  of 
that  work.  He  married  Khajji,  a  beautiful  young 
girl,  whose  native  land  was  Kashmir. 


56  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

They  were  very  happy  in  their  Nidala  home ; 
their  six  children,  three  boys  and  three  girls,  still 
at  home  with  them.  Their  eldest  child,  Khalil, 
was  a  boy  of  thirteen. 

One  sultry  afternoon  in  July,  when  the  sun  had 
burst  forth  in  all  his  hot  fury  after  a  week's  heavy 
downpour  of  rain,  the  minister  and  his  wife  were 
seated  in  the  long,  narrow  room  that  was  used  as 
church,  sitting-room  and  guest  chamber.  The 
minister  was  preparing  a  sermon,  while  his  wife 
was  busily  employed  in  making  a  dress  for  the 
baby  girl,  Sosan.  In  the  English  tongue  she  would 
have  been  called  Lily,  for  that  is  the  meaning  of 
Sosan. 

After  a  long  silence  between  them  Ganda  Mall 
looked  toward  his  wife  and  addressing  her  as  the 
oriental  custom  is, ''  Mother  of  Khalil,  what  do  you 
think  of  Maryam's  letter,  I  have  been  reading  it 
over  again." 

Maryam,  better  known  as  Bua  in  the  school, 
was  Ganda's  youngest  sister. 

'*  I  hardly  know  what  to  say,"  his  wife  replied, 
carefully.  ''  I  have  not  been  pleased  with  the 
stories  that  have  come  to  us  lately  of  the  great 
religious  excitement  in  Sialkot,  but  Maryam  is  a 
good  girl,  and  her  letter  puts  a  diflferent  light  on 
some  of  the  stories  told  us." 

"  Still  we  need  to  be  careful,"  the  minister  now 
said,  '*  lest  our  sister  be  led  too  far  in  this  new  way 


SELF-SUPPORT.  57 

of  thinking.  It  was  all  very,  well  for  the  disciples 
and  early  Christians  to  practice  self-denial  in 
everything.  I  do  not  think  it  is  required  in  this 
age.  Maryam  has  always  been  a  devoted  Christian. 
She  always  has  lived  in  close  touch  with  the  next 
world.  While  I  am  not  in  sympathy  with  this  new 
movement,  still  I  cannot  but  be  impressed  by  her 
letter.  No  preacher  could  have  written  a  better 
one.*' 

The  letter  under  discussion  that  afternoon  had 
been  written  by  Bua  after  much  prayer.  One  day 
she  came  to  the  lyittle  Miss  Sahiba  and  said,  *'  Oh, 
that  my  brother  Ganda  Mall  might  be  filled  with 
God's  Spirit  for  service.  What  a  power  for  good 
he  would  be  among  our  countrymen  !"  From  that 
day  she  began  praying  definitely  for  this  brother, 
and  during  that  time  wrote  a  letter  urging  him  to 
a  more  consecrated  life. 

Many  rumors  reached  the  minister  and  his  wife 
in  their  country  home,  forty  miles  from  Sialkot, 
during  that  eventful  summer.  They  heard  that 
women  were  praying  in  public;  that  Christians 
wept  over  their  sins  and  oftentimes  made  public 
confession.  ''  If  the  Christians  confess  that  they 
are  sinners,  what  will  the  heathen  think  of  them?" 
said  the  "  Mother  of  Khalil  "  one  day.  She  seemed 
to  forget  that  if  there  were  sins  in  the  lives  of 
the  Christians,  the  heathen  knew  them  whether 
confessed  or  not. 


58  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

They  pondered  much  on  the  strange  reports 
from  Sialkot. 

When  vacation  came  in  the  girls'  school,  the 
Little  Miss  Sahiba  accompanied  Bua  out  to  old 
Zafarwal,  where  she  had  spent  several  of  the 
happiest  years  of  her  life.  They  left  Sialkot  early 
one  morning.  The  journey  of  twenty-six  miles 
was  made  in  a  two-wheeled,  seatless,  springless 
cart.  No  wonder  they  were  glad  at  evening  time 
to  catch  the  gleam  of  white  minarets  through  the 
foliage  of  pipal,  banyan  and  palm  trees.  They 
knew  they  were  near  Zafarwal  city  and  its  many 
Hindu  temples.  Rest  awaited  them  half  a  mile 
beyond  the  city  in  the  little  Christian  village  of 
Scott  Garh.  Here  Kanaya  still  lived.  Kalu,  his 
cousin  and  half  a  dozen  other  families  also  had 
homes  in  this  village. 

Bua's  youngest  brother  Joseph  walked  out  a 
mile  to  meet  the  two  weary  travelers.  A  glad 
welcome  awaited  them  in  the  village.  After  a 
little  rest  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  looked  across  an 
open  space  of  freshly  plowed  ground  to  the  Mission 
premises,  where  stood  the  red  brick  house  that  had 
been  erected  by  Dr.  Barr  for  the  missionaries'  home. 
A  glimpse  of  the  dear  old  home,  with  its  setting  of 
fragrant  eucalyptus  trees,  brought  to  her  mind  so 
many  memories  of  joy  and  sadness  that  her  heart 
was  full.  Eleven  years  ago  she  first  came  to 
Zafarwal  at  the  time  of  the  annual  meeting,  where 


SELF-SUPPORT.  6^ 

she  received  her  first  appointment  to  work,  and  her 
appointment  was  made  to  Zafarwal.  Well  she 
remembered  the  days  that  followed.  The  help  she 
received  from  Mrs.  Martin  in  acquiring  the  Punjabi 
language,  in  conducting  meetings,  in  caring  for 
health,  in  things  spiritual.  She  could  never  forget 
what  Mrs.  Martin  had  been  to  her. 

Then  came  that  day  when  Dr.  Martin's  family 
and  she  had  set  forth  on  a  winter's  camping  tour 
and  those  who  said  good-bye  to  the  *'  light  of  the 
home,''  said  it  for  the  last  time.  In  a  week's  time 
Mrs.  Martin  was  stricken  with  pneumonia  and 
died  in  a  distant  home. 

Memories  of  a  glad  day  came  when  she  first 
met  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Barr  and  Kate  Corbett.  She 
smiled  as  she  remembered  the  old  brown  satteen 
dress  she  wore  on  that  occasion  and  how  strange 
it  must  have  looked  to  those  fresh  from  America's 
fashions,  as  they  greeted  her  on  the  wide  front 
veranda.  Then  memories  of  the  next  six  years,  of 
the  deepest  happiness  she  had  ever  experienced, 
filled  her  mind ;  those  precious  days  when  they 
had  worked  together  with  one  heart  and  one  mind 
for  the  Master  they  loved. 

Many  times  since  have  the  other  three  doubt- 
less exclaimed  with  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba,  "Thank 
God  for  the  six  years  spent  in  Zafarwal ! " 

As  she  now  sat  wrapt  in  retrospective  thought, 
far  from  those  so  dear  to  her  in  days  past,  some  of 


60  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF   INDIA. 

the  Christians  came  to  her  and  said,  *'  We  are  going 
over  to  the  church  for  prayer  meeting.  Won't  you 
come  with  us?  "  No  second  invitation  was  needed 
to  be  given  for  attending  prayer  meeting  in  the 
Zafarwal  church. 

It  stood  only  a  few  rods  in  front  of  Kanaya's 
home.  What  a  homely  building  it  was  !  Made  of 
mud,  four  mud  walls,  a  mud  floor  and  mud  roof! 
The  outer  walls  were  plastered  with  clay,  the  inner 
had  a  coating  of  white  wash.  The  mud  roof  leaked 
during  the  rainy  season  and  left  great  black  streaks 
on  the  walls.  There  was  matting  on  the  floor. 
Only  a  few  pieces  of  furniture  were  in  the  church. 
A  few  old  benches  and  chairs,  a  table  that  filled 
the  place  of  pulpit,  a  bright  red  cover  with  a  text 
embroidered  in  silk  covered  the  table.  This  had 
been  made  and  given  to  the  church  by  Kanaya's 
third  daughter,  Rukko,  who  died  a  few  years  after 
completing  the  course  in  a  medical  college. 

"  No,  the  church  was  not  beautiful ;  "  but  the 
Little  Miss  Sahiba  thought  it  the  dearest  church 
building  in  all  the  world.  Its  associations  made  it 
dear  to  her.  She  remembered  the  sermons  she 
had  heard  in  it,  the  prayers  ofi*ered,  the  souls 
saved  in  it,  the  blessed  communion  seasons  when, 
side  by  side,  these  brothers  and  sisters  in  Jesus 
Christ  had  sat  and  partaken  of  the  emblems  of  His 
broken  body  and  shed  blood. 

The  prayer  meeting  that   evening  was  but  a 


SELF-SUPPORT.  61 

foretaste  of  what  was  to  come.  Rev.  W.  T.  Ander- 
son, an  earnest  missonary,  who  had  charge  of 
Zafarwal  at  that  time,  said  during  the  evening : 
*'  I  would  like  to  have  Bro.  Ganda  Mall  come  over 
for  a  few  days  and  help  us  in  a  series  of  meetings. 
I  will  write  him  a  note  asking  him  over." 

The  next  morning  a  messenger  was  dispatched 
across  country  with  a  note.  In  a  few  hours'  time 
he  reached  the  Nidala  parsonage.  Rev.  Ganda 
Mall  opened  the  note  and  read : — 

"  Dear  Brother: — Some  of  the  Christian  work- 
ers have  come  to  Zafarwal  for  a  few  days.  This 
seems  an  opportune  time  for  holding  a  series  of 
meetings.  Won't  you  and  your  wife  come  over 
and  help  us? 

*' Your  brother  in  Christ, 

''  W.  T.  Andkrson." 

*'Just  as  I  expected,''  muttered  Ganda  Mall, 
"  the  religious  excitement  has  reached  Zafarwal 
and  it  will  soon  spread  all  over  the  country.'' 

He  showed  the  letter  to  his  wife,  then  said, 
'*  Mother  of  Khalil,  what  shall  we  do  ? '' 

Ordinarily,  her  reply  would  have  been,  '*  Do? 
you  know  what  we  will  do  !  You  go  to  Zafarwal 
while  I  stay  at  home  with  the  children.  You  know 
I  cannot  leave  them  ;  then  there  is  the  cow  to  be 
cared  for,  too." 

But  this  was  not  an  ordinary  occasion.  Her 
reply  was,  ''We  will  go."     Her  husband  looked  at 


62  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

her  in  surprise,  while  she  continued,  ^'  Go  and  call 
in  that  neighbour  woman  who  will  take  care  of  the 
four  older  children.  I  will  get  the  two  babies 
ready  while  you  saddle  the  horse;  then  we  will 
start  for  Zafarwal.'' 

Now  Ganda  Mall  was  an  extraordinary  man  for 
India.  He  loved  and  respected  his  wife.  Several 
years  ago  he  had  said  to  the  I^ittle  Miss  Sahiba 
when  they  were  one  day  talking  about  what  Chris- 
tianity had  done  for  India's  women,  "  I  do  thank 
God  for  my  Christian  wife.  She  has  been  such  a 
help  to  me.  I  nearly  always  take  her  advice.  In 
fact,  I  may  just  as  well  tell  you  that  I  always  take 
it.     She  is  so  wise." 

So  on  that  day  he  immediately  proceeded  to 
carry  out  his  wife's  wishes;  though  he  could  not 
understand  how  a  motive  could  be  strong  enough 
to  persuade  her  to  leave  the  four  children.  The 
neighbour  woman  came  in  and  received  instruc- 
tions as  to  the  care  of  the  children  and  cow.  The 
pony  was  saddled  and  brought  to  the  door  of  the 
court-yard,  where  Gandu  helped  his  wife  to  mount. 
She  held  Sosan  in  her  arms,  while  little  Israel  was 
happily  seated  back  of  her  on  the  quiet  pony.  The 
minister,  after  getting  his  Bible  and  a  cane,  was 
ready  to  start.  He  walked  beside  the  pony,  now 
guiding  it  with  his  voice,  now  using  the  cane  when 
necessity  demanded.  Some  threatening  clouds 
came  rolling  up  from  the  west  as  they  set  forth  on 


SELF-SUPPORT.  63 

their  journey,  but  they  heeded  them  not.  Their 
hearts  were  set  on  carrying  out  a  purpose  that  had 
been  forming  for  some  time.  Was  not  God  calling 
them  to  Zafarwal  to  help  counteract  this  strange, 
new  teaching?  They  pushed  on  very  bravely 
through  muddy  roads  and  swollen  streams,  while 
the  rain  fell  upon  them  in  torrents,  drenching  them 
again  and  again.  Nothing  dampened  their  ardor. 
On  the  way  Ganda  Mall  said  to  his  wife,  ''  Let  us 
prepare  a  sermon  that  will  put  a  stop  to  this  revival 
movement  that  has  reached  Zafarwal  at  last." 
"Let  us  do  it,"  his  wife  responded  heartily.  He 
began  thinking  out  the  main  points  of  his  sermon, 
speaking  of  them  occasionally  to  his  wife,  who 
was  busy  suggesting  suitable  references  from  the 
Bible. 

It  was  growing  late  when  they  finally  reached 
the  Christian  village,  wet,  muddy  and  tired. 

The  congregation  had  met  in  the  church  again 
for  prayer.  Some  of  the  people  saw  Gandu  and  his 
wife  pass  by  the  open  church  door  in  the  deepening 
gloom.  They  went  over  to  his  father's  home  for 
the  night. 


ISMAT.  LIZZIE. 

DAUGHTERS  OP    REV.   GANDA   MALL. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SKLF-SUPPORT  —  Continued, 

CIGHT  o'clock  the  next  morning  the  Christians 
^  met  again  in  the  church.  The  women,  as 
they  came  into  the  church  through  one  of  the 
side  doors,  crossed  over  the  room  and  sat  on  the 
opposite  side,  while  the  men  sat  near  the  door. 
Brother  Ganda  Mall  and  his  wife  came  in.  She 
came  across  the  room  and  sat  down  beside  the 
Little  Miss  Sahiba,  while  he  joined  the  men  on 
their  side  of  the  room. 

Mr.  Anderson  presided  over  the  conference  that 
was  held  that  morning.  The  subject  was  "  Self- 
support."  How  could  the  native  church  of  India 
become  a  self-sustaining  church.  This  was  a 
burning  question  in  the  Mission  in  those  days. 
Indeed,  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  questions 
to-day. 

The  meeting  opened  with  a  season  of  prayer. 

When  the  subject  was  first  presented  to  the  people 

they  had  little  to  say.     They  did  not  understand  it. 

They  did  not  think  they  could  do  more  than  they 

were  already  doing.     But  as  they  thought  upon  it 

the  interest  grew,  and  one  after  another,  Kanaya, 

66 
5  GI 


66  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

Kalu  and  some  of  the  younger  men  arose  and  gave 
suggestions  as  to  how  the  churches  could  gradually 
become  self-supporting. 

Ganda  Mall  remained  silent.  He  sat  quite  still, 
leaning  against  the  wall  listening  to  all  that  was 
said,  but  saying  nothing  himself.  The  morning 
meeting  closed  about  11  o'clock. 

At  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  Christians  met 
again  in  the  church,  where  the  morning's  subject 
was  resumed.     Ganda  Mall  still  remained  silent. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  afternoon  session,  Mr. 
Anderson,  looking  over  where  he  sat,said  :  ^'Brother 
Gandu,  have  you  nothing  to  say  on  this  important 
subject?" 

Gandu  arose  and  looking  about  him  in  a  dazed 
sort  of  way,  said  in  a  hesitating  manner :  *'  I  believe 
I  agree  with  all  that  has  been  said,"  and  sat  down 
again.  The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  wondered  why  it 
-was  Gandu  did  not  show  more  interest  in  the 
meeting.  Usually  he  was  first  on  the  floor  to  speak 
in  conventions.  He  always  seemed  to  enjoy  speak- 
ing. She  did  not  know  the  struggle  he  was  passing 
through.  The  sermon  he  had  so  zealously  prepared 
had  passed  away  from  his  mind  and  God  was 
dealing  with  his  soul.  To  him  the  question  of 
self-support  came  as  a  personal  question.  A  voice 
seemed  to  say  to  him :  "  You  know  it  is  right, 
what  will  you  do  to  help  it  on  ?" 


SELF-SUPPORT — CoH.  67 

In  the  evening  a  consecration  service  was  held. 
Hearts  were  touched  as  one  after  another  of  the 
brothers  and  sisters  arose  and  gave  themselves 
anew  to  God's  service. 

Ganda  Mall's  head  during  this  impressive  serv- 
ice began  dropping  lower  and  lower.  He  seemed 
filled  with  troubled  thoughts.  When  the  meeting 
was  almost  ready  to  close  he  arose  and  stood  lean- 
ing against  the  wall  for  support.  "  Brothers,"  he 
cried  out,  "  pray  for  me !  A  heavy  burden  is  on 
my  heart.  God  wants  me  to  do  something  and  I 
do  not  know  what  it  is.     Oh,  pray  for  me !  " 

Mr.  Anderson  and  another  native  minister  went 
over  and  standing  one  on  either  side  of  him 
prayed. 

The  hour  being  late  the  meeting  was  dismissed 
and  the  congregation  passed  out  quietly.  A  few 
remained  for  more  prayer,  Ganda  and  his  wife, 
Maryam  and  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  and  two  or 
three  others.  They  came  over  in  front  of  the  table 
and  knelt  down  in  prayer.  By  this  time  Ganda 
Mall  was  groaning  in  anguish  of  spirit,  "  Oh,  what 
shall  I  do?''  *'  Brother,"  said  the  native  minister, 
*'  will  you  not  yield  yourself  to  God.  Will  you  not 
give  up  whatever  God  wants  you  to  give  up  ?  " 

With  sobs  this  strong  man  prayed,  *'  Dear  Lord, 
I  do  not  know  what  it  is  Thou  wouldst  have  me  to 
do.     If  Thou  wouldst  take  my  dearest  and  best  I 


68  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

give  them  now  to  Thee.  All  is  Thine.  I  want  to 
please  Thee  in  everything." 

The  little  circle  prayed  one  after  another,  pour- 
ing out  their  hearts  before  God.  When  they  arose 
Ganda  Mall  called  his  wife  to  the  back  part  of  the 
church  and  talked  quietly  with  her  a  few  minutes. 
Then  he  called  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  to  join  them. 
When  she  came  near  he  said,  *'  Sister,  I  know  now 
what  it  is  God  wants  me  to  do.'' 

'*  Brother,  what  is  it?" 

'*  God  wants  me  to  give  up  the  eight  dollars  a 
month  salary  I  have  been  receiving  from  America 
and  to  take  just  what  my  own  poor  people  can 
give  me,  in  order  that  our  people  may  learn  to 
support  their  own  work.'' 

Tears  of  joy  flowed  down  the  cheeks  of  the 
Little  Miss  Sahiba  as  she  heard  this.  Was  not 
this  an  answer  to  prayer?  The  missionaries  had 
long  felt  that  this  matter  must  come  from  the 
natives  themselves,  that  the  native  ministers  must 
lenounce  willingly  foreign  support  and  take  the 
little  the  poor  people  could  give  them  before  self- 
support  could  be  a  fact.  Here  was  a  beginning. 
The  Spirit  of  God  alone  could  persuade  men  to 
endure  the  sufiering  that  would  surely  follow  one 
who  adopted  this  course.  Suffering  there  would 
be.  The  poorest  people  of  the  land  were  the 
church  members.  Yet  God  had  said  to  the  very 
poor  as  well  as  to  the  rich,    '*  It  is  more  blessed  to 


SELF-SUPPORT — Cofl.  69 

give  than  to  receive.''  A  native  minister  stated 
it  in  this  way,  "  Are  the  poor  to  be  debarred  from 
the  blessings  of  giving  ?  " 

'*  But  what  would  Gandu's  wife  say  to  all  this?" 
thought  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba.  The  little  woman 
stood  there  with  eyes  downcast  for  a  few  moment's 
then  said  touchingly  to  her  husband : 

*'  Father  of  Khalil,  don't  do  anything  hastily. 
Think  of  me  and  think  of  the  six  children."  Gandu 
thought  about  them.  All  night  long  he  walked  up 
and  down  his  father's  fields  thinking  it  all  over 
again  and  again.  He  prayed  over  it  in  the  silent 
night  hours.     He  did  not  want  to  make  a  mistake. 

The  next  morning  the  pony  was  saddled  and 
the  family  started  home.  Very  little  was  said  as 
they  journeyed.  The  day  passed  quietly  after  they 
reached  home.  Night  came — ten  o'clock — the 
children  were  fast  asleep  in  bed. 

Gandu's  wife  then  came  up  to  him  and  said 
earnestly:  '*  I  am  willing  now.  I  knew  yesterday 
God  wanted  you  to  give  up  your  salary,  but  I  was 
afraid  to  consent.  I  felt  we  would  suffer,  perhaps 
starve.  I  am  willing  now  for  you  to  take  this  step, 
for,"  she  added  sweetly,  "  if  God  wants  you  to  do 
it,  will  He  not  provide?" 

Ganda  Mall  was  so  overjoyed  that  he  exclaimed 
"  Hallelujah  !  Praise  the  Lord  !"  *'  Oh,  don't  you 
think  I  thanked  God  then  for  my  Christian  wife," 
he  told  a  friend  the  next  day. 


70  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

So  great  was  his  joy  that  he  awakened  the  four 
older  children,  Khalil  and  Jamil,  the  boys,  and 
Lizzie  and  Minnie,  and  told  them  what  he  and  their 
mother  had  been  led  to  do  for  Jesus  Christ^s  sake. 
They  listened  wonderingly  to  what  their  father 
told  them.  When  he  had  finished  Khalil  said: 
"  Thank  God  for  such  parents.  We  cannot  do 
much  to  help  you,  but  if  the  time  should  come 
when  there  is  not  much  to  eat  and  we  are  hungry, 
we  will  not  cry  nor  trouble  you  in  any  way." 

Then  the  family  knelt  down  and  thanked  God 
for  victory  won.  It  was  a  greater  victory  than 
they  knew.  A  victory  not  only  over  their  own 
hearts  and  lives,  but  a  victory  for  the  church  of 
Christ  in  India.  It  was  the  beginning  of  a  self- 
sustaining,  self-supporting  India  church. 

The  next  day  some  of  the  Zafarwal  Christians 
went  over  to  Nidala.  The  road  was  muddy  and 
the  river  Ben  in  such  high  waters  that  it  was  well 
nigh  impassable.  A  big  flood  had  come  down  that 
morning  and  was  sweeping  from  bank  to  bank. 
The  ford  was  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide.  An  hour 
was  spent  in  crossing  this  treacherous  stream  that 
was  so  full  of  quicksands. 

The  Rev.  Ganda  Mall  saw  the  party  coming, 
and  hastened  down  to  the  river's  brink  to  welcome 
them  as  they  came  up  out  of  the  stream.  The  first 
words  that  could  be  heard  above  the  din  of  the 
raging  flood  were,  '*  Praise  God  for  victory  won. 


SELF-SUPPORT — CoH.  71 

Come  right  up  to  the  house  and  we  will  have  a 
thanksgiving  meeting." 

The  little  company,  tired  and  splashed  with 
mud  and  water,  hurried  up  the  sandy  bank  as  well 
as  they  could.  The  warm  welcome  that  met  them 
as  they  entered  the  mud  cottage,  soon  caused  them 
to  forget  the  fatigues  of  the  journey  and  they  entered 
into  the  next  hour's  thanksgiving  meeting  with 
grateful  hearts.  It  was  good  to  be  there  and  to 
hear  what  God  is  willing  to  do  to  those  who  yield 
themselves  wholly  unto  Him.  Gandu  related  the 
experience  he  had  passed  through.  One  duty  yet 
remained  for  him.  He  must  tell  his  congregation 
of  his  action.  How  would  his  people  receive  this 
news? 

That  afternoon  he  sent  word  over  to  the  village 
for  all  the  Christians  to  come  over  in  the  evening. 
He  had  something  important  to  tell  them. 

During  the  day  the  minister,  his  wife  and  the 
lyittle  Miss  Sahiba  had  a  few  minutes  for  a  little 
quiet  talk.  Gandu  told  them  about  the  sermon  he 
had  prepared  that  was  to  check  the  religious  fervor 
that  was  beginning  to  burn  brightly  in  many 
hearts.  "  We  went  to  Zafarwal,"  he  said,  *'  to 
strike  a  blow  at  this  work.  What  could  I  do  against 
it?  I  saw  it  was  of  the  Lord,  and  I  was  perhaps 
more  deeply  touched  by  it  than  any  other.  Such 
a  change  has  come  into  my  life.  I  hardly  know 
that  I  am  the  same  person." 


72  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

At  nine  o'clock  that  night  the  Christians  in 
Gandu's  home  seated  themselves  on  matting  that 
was  spread  out  in  the  damp  court-yard,  and  there, 
under  the  bright  light  of  the  full  moon,  awaited 
the  coming  of  the  village  congregation. 

The  men  worked  late  in  the  evenings,  and  by 
the  time  supper  was  over  it  was  nine  o'clock  before 
they  could  get  started  to  the  meetings.  It  was  a 
little  past  nine  when  the  court-yard  gate  opened 
and  Gandu's  congregation  began  filing  in.  The 
Little  Miss  Sahiba,  who  knew  all  the  people  well, 
watched  them  with  interest  as  they  came  in,  one 
by  one. 

First  came  the  wealthiest  man  of  the  congre- 
gation, a  leading  member,  who  received  five  cents 
a  day  for  his  work.  His  wife  followed  him.  Then 
another  man  and  his  family,  and  others,  until 
fifteen  or  twenty  were  seated. 

All  were  now  ready  for  the  service  to  begin. 
The  minister  opened  the  meeting  with  praise  and 
prayer.  A  portion  of  Scripture  was  read  and 
explained.  The  fourteenth  verse  of  the  fourth 
chapter  of  Esther  was  his  text.  "  Who  knoweth 
whether  thou  art  come  to  the  kingdom  for  such  a 
time  as  this?"  He  felt  this  was  a  message  God 
had  sent  to  his  own  heart.  With  deep  earnestness 
he  said  to  his  people,  *'  Brethren  and  sisters,  you 
know  that  for  many  years  the  good  people  of 
America  have  put  their  hands  into  their  pockets 


SELF-SUPPORT — CoU.  73 

and  taken  out  money  for  our  country,  with  which 
we  have  builded  churches  and  school  houses, 
educated  our  children  and  supported  our  pastors. 
They  have  supported  me,  your  pastor.  Now, 
brothers,  don't  you  think  we  ought  to  do  likewise  ? 
Should  we  not  follow  their  example  in  building 
our  churches,  educating  our  children,  supporting 
our  ministers  and  sending  out  missionaries.  In 
order  to  do  my  part  in  this  work  I  have  given  up 
my  salary  from  America  and  will  take  what  the 
Lord  sends  me  through  the  people  of  my  country." 
This  was  only  a  little  of  what  he  told  his  people. 
After  he  sat  down  he  buried  his  face  in  his  hands. 
What  would  his  people  do  now?  The  richest  man 
of  his  congregation,  the  member  with  a  salary  of 
five  cents  a  day,  arose  to  respond.  Then  it  was 
the  heart  of  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  almost  caused 
her  to  say,  "Brother  Gandu,  how  can  you  do  it? 
What  is  eight  dollars  a  month  to  the  people  of 
America?"  for  she  was  looking  intently  now  into 
the  faces  of  this  poor  people.  Their  pitiful  condi- 
tion touched  her  heart  deeply.  The  ragged 
garments,  only  half  covering  their  bodies,  the  sad 
faces  of  men  and  women,  the  pinched,  starved  faces 
of  some  of  the  children,  all  appealed  so  strongly  to 
her  that  for  a  few  moments  she  almost  lost  her  joy 
over  the  victory  won  for  the  cause  of  Christ  and 
his  church  in  the  touching  scene  before  her. 

The  brother  arose  to  respond  to  his  pastor.     As 


74  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

he  stood  there  calm  and  dignified,  the  Little  Miss 
Sahiba  thought  surely  he  would  reprove  his  pastor 
for  his  course.  She  could  almost  hear  him  saying, 
'*  Pastor,  how  could  you  do  it,  when  you  know  our 
poverty?  Our  children  are  often  hungry.  We 
sometimes  have  only  one  meal  a  day.  We  have 
heard  the  people  of  America  always  have  two  meals 
daily,  clothing  to  cover  them  and  houses  to  shelter 
them.  America  would  not  miss  the  eight  dollars 
a  month."  What  a  joyful  surprise  to  hear  instead 
the  man's  earnest  ejaculation  : 

"  Thank  God  for  such  a  pastor !  We  have 
known  for  a  long  time  we  ought  to  do  more.  If 
God  will  forgive  us  the  past  we  will  do  better  in 
the  future.  God  will  bless  the  people  of  America 
for  what  they  have  done  to  help  us.  Let  us, 
brothers,  show  our  love  for  the  Lord  by  helping 
others.  Pastor,  you  know  we  do  not  have  much  of 
this  world's  goods,  but  when  you  are  hungry  we 
will  be  hungry  too.  We  will  divide  the  last  crumb 
we  have  with  you."  To  this  all  the  people 
heartily  responded,  *'  Amen." 

The  joy  that  was  felt  that  night  in  the  hearts 
of  missionary  and  native  Christian  worker  can 
never  be  told.  The  power  of  God  was  manifest  in 
a  new  and  wonderful  way. 

At  midnight  this  little  flock  of  God's  children 
in  that  heathen  land  sang  in  closing,  these  words 
of  the  psalmist : — 


SELF-SUPPORT — CoU.  75 

**What  fit  return,  Lord,  can  I  make, 
For  all  Thy  gifts  on  me  bestowed  ? 
The  cup  of  blessing  I  will  take 
And  call  upon  the  name  of  God. 

With  sacrifice  of  thanks  I'll  go 
And  on  Jehovah's  name  will  call, 
Will  pay  to  God  the  vows  I  owe 
In  presence  of  His  people  all." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

TWO  WEDDINGS. 

ONE  hot  night  in  June,  Miss  Corbett  and  the 
Little  Miss  Sahiba  left  their  home  and  walked 
a  mile  across  the  hot,  burning  plains  to  the 
village  of  Naya  Find,  where  a  young  Hindu  girl,  a 
friend  of  theirs,  was  to  be  married  that  night. 

They  had  been  invited  to  the  wedding.  It  was 
a  little  past  nine  o'clock  when  they  reached  the 
village.  On  the  outskirts  they  passed  a  group  of 
men  who  were  seated,  silently  smoking  the  hookah. 

This,  they  soon  learned,  was  the  bridegroom's 
party  that  had  arrived  at  the  village,  but  could  not 
enter  until  the  wrath  of  a  paternal  uncle  had  been 
sufficiently  appeased,  to  enable  him  to  enter  with 
them. 

The  Miss  Sahibas  entered  the  bride's  home,  a 
plain  little  mud  dwelling,  with  a  mud  enclosure  in 
front  of  it.  In  one  corner  of  the  yard,  the  bride's 
father,  with  some  other  men,  was  busy  cooking 
rice  in  an  immense  caldron  that  swung  over  a 
bright  fire.  Guests  had  already  arrived.  The 
men  were  stretched  out  on  the  ground  fast  asleep, 
while  the  women  were  resting  more  comfortably 

76 


TWO    WEDDINGS.  77 

over  in  another  corner  on  cots.  No  wonder  they 
were  tired,  for  some  had  walked  twenty  miles  in 
order  to  be  present  on  this  happy  occasion. 

After  sitting  a  little  while  in  the  yard,  some  one 
asked  the  Miss  Sahibas  if  they  would  not  like  to 
go  up  on  the  roof  They  gladly  assented.  It  was 
delightful  up  there,  in  the  bright  moonlight,  the 
flat  expanse  of  roofs  all  about  them.  Had  they  so 
desired  they  could  have  walked  over  the  top  of  the 
whole  village.  Many  women  came  and  perched 
themselves  on  the  very  edge  of  the  roof,  making 
the  Ivittle  Miss  Sahiba  exceedingly  nervous,  lest 
they  should  fall  oj0f,  but  they  only  laughed  at  her 
fears.  The  night  hours  were  whiled  away 
pleasantly  with  Bible  stories  and  songs,  all  so  new 
and  wonderful  to  these  heathen  wedding  guests. 
Still  the  bridegroom's  party  tarried.  The  supper 
grew  cold.  After  the  rice  was  cooked  it  was  thrown 
on  a  sheet,  and  several  bushels  of  it  now  lay,  in  a 
pile  white  as  snow. 

The  guests  were  becoming  impatient  for  supper, 
and  they  did  that  night,  what  is  against  Hindu 
etiquette,  fed  the  guests  before  the  bridegroom's 
arrival.  One  hundred  and  three  men  sat  down  in 
a  circle  on  the  bare  ground.  Dishes  made  from 
the  leaves  of  a  tree  was  passed  to  the  guests. 
Some  of  the  neighbors,  who  acted  as  waiters,  now 
carried  the  rice  around  in  large  baskets,  and  with 
their  hands  lifted  out  great  quantities  and  filled 
the  leaf  dishes. 


78  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

When  the  men  had  all  been  fed,  the  women 
numbering  seventy,  took  their  places  on  the  ground 
and  were  helped  liberally  from  the  baskets  of  rice. 

After  supper,  the  people  formed  into  groups  and 
the  singing  of  wedding  songs  began. 

Still  the  bridegroom  came  not. 

The  Little  Miss  Sahiba,  turning  to  Bua,  who 
was  seated  near  her,  said,  *'  No  wonder  the  virgins 
slumbered  and  slept  when  waiting  for  the  bride- 
groom's coming.  I  am  so  sleepy  I  can  scarcely 
keep  my  eyes  open."  "What  does  she  mean?'* 
said  a  woman  to  Bua,  and  this  led  to  the  parable 
of  the  ten  virgins  being  explained  and  the  way  of 
life  opened  up  to  these  women.  *'  We  never  before 
heard  anything  like  it  at  a  wedding,"  said  several 
of  the  women.  "  Our  songs  and  stories  are  not  fit 
for  your  ears  to  hear,  but  what  you  say  is  good 
and  pure." 

At  last !  "  The  bridegroom  is  coming !  The 
bridegroom  is  coming !  "  rang  through  the  court- 
yard and  on  the  housetops.  Great  excitement 
prevailed.  The  young  girls  went  out  to  meet  him, 
and  soon  returned,  singing  as  they  came.  As  the 
bridegroom  and  his  friends  came  to  the  outer  gate, 
they  were  met  by  the  bride's  mother,  who  had  a 
Itttle  lamp  in  her  hand.  She  passed  this  back  and 
forth  several  times  over  his  head,  while  all  the 
women  sang.  They  now  came  inside,  and  rough 
matting  was  spread  on  the  ground  in  their  honor. 


TWO    WEDDINGS.  79 

The  Miss  Sahibas  descended  the  mud  stairway 
to  meet  the  bridegroom.  A  nice  looking  boy  of 
thirteen  or  fourteen  years  of  age  stood  before  them, 
clad  in  pure  white  muslin.  His  coat  almost 
touched  the  ground,  and  was  tied  in  at  the  waist 
with  a  sash.  From  his  turban  of  white,  strings  of 
flowers  fell  over  his  face.  He  greeted  the  Miss 
Sahibas  with  a  lowly  salaam  and  they  returned  to 
the  roof. 

No  bride  appeared  on  the  scene,  and  they  knew 
she  would  not  appear  for  some  time. 

The  bridegroom's  party,  numbering  twenty-one, 
were  given  their  supper  of  rice  and  pulse. 

The  bridegroom  having  come,  the  bride  could 
now  be  dressed  for  the  ceremony.  The  bridegroom's 
parents  always  furnish  the  bridal  dress.  At  two 
o'clock  the  Miss  Sahibas  were  taken  into  the  room 
where  the  poor  little  bride  had  been  kept  all  that 
evening  and  night.  It  was  a  small  room,  with 
only  one  small  door  to  let  air  into  it.  It  was  filled 
with  women ;  relations  and  neighbors  of  the 
family.  The  bride  sat  in  the  center  of  the  room 
with  a  sheet  wrapped  about  her,  crying. 

The  bridegroom's  uncle  brought  a  basket  to  the 
door.  This  was  handed  inside  and  placed  before 
the  bride.  In  it  were  the  wedding  garments.  No 
one  except  an  unmarried  person  could  open  this 
basket.  After  not  a  little  search,  a  tiny  girl  was 
thrust  forward  who  finally  succeeded  in  opening 


80  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

the  cloth  in  which  the  basket  was  tied.  '*  Sing/* 
said  a  woman  as  this  was  being  performed,  and  a 
song  about  the  opening  of  the  bride's  garments 
was  sung.  Bright  red  and  green  garments, 
trimmed  in  silver  braid  now  lay  exposed  to  view, 
trousers,  jacket  and  veil.  In  the  bottom  of  the 
basket  lay  a  package  tied  up  in  a  heavy  brown 
paper.  A  song  was  sung  as  this  was  unfastened. 
A  comb,  sandal  wood,  red  lead  and  cloves  were 
taken  out,  all  of  which  were  used  in  dressing  the 
bride's  hair.  Her  aunt,  who  combed  her  hair,  now 
unbraided  for  the  last  time  the  little  braids  she  had 
always  worn  close  to  her  forehead,  showing  her  to 
be  an  unmarried  girl.  When  next  the  world  saw 
her  face  she  would  be  a  wife. 

Into  many  small  braids  were  her  long  black 
tresses  braided.  Little  balls  of  red  cotton,  the 
brown  paper  and  three  strands  of  heavy  red  cord, 
with  tassels  of  tinsel,  were  fastened  in  her  hair. 
It  would  not  be  combed  again  for  a  week. 

Another  aunt  put  a  gold  ring  in  her  nose,  and 
still  another,  fastened  silver  rings  in  her  ears. 
During  all  this  time,  the  little  girl  continued  cry- 
ing, while  the  women  laughed,  and  the  women 
sang.  At  last  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba,  who  could 
not  endure^it  any  longer,  began  upbraiding  the 
womenlfbr  their  heartlessness,  when  the  bride's 
mother  said,  *'  Do  you  suppose  there  is  laughter  in 
our  hearts,  oh  no  !  but  why  should  we  weep,  would 


HANNAH. 


ISEI. 


TWO    WEDDINGS.  81 

that  make  it  any  easier?  We  wept  when  we  were 
married,  we  lived  through  it.  She  will  live  through 
it  too.     We  all  have  to  endure  the  same  thing." 

Oh  the  sadness  of  it  all !  The  weeping  bride  so 
soon  to  be  taken  away  from  her  parents  to  a  new 
home,  where  she  would  be  owned  soul  and  body, 
and  where,  who  knows  what  torture  awaited  the 
little  girl  inside  the  four  walls  that  would  soon 
encircle  her  for  life.  She  would  not  have  a  shadow 
of  redress.  Thinking  on  all  this,  the  Little  Miss 
Sahiba  bowed  her  head  and  wept  with  the  tender 
bride. 

At  last  the  painful  ordeal  of  dressing  the  bride 
was  over,  and  she  stood  for  a  few  minutes  in  all 
her  gay  finery,  the  admiration  of  all  the  women. 

Not  long,  however,  was  she  allowed  to  remain 
unveiled.  Two  heavy  sheets  were  thrown  over 
her.  "Why  all  this  covering,  on  this  hot  night?" 
the  Miss  Sahibas  asked.  "  We  want  her  well 
hidden  from  view,"  an  aunt  replied. 

She  was  now  ready  to  be  taken  out  for  the 
marriage  ceremony.  A  square  framework  had 
been  prepared  for  this.  In  one  corner  sat  the 
bridegroom,  in  another  the  priest,  who  was  ready 
for  his  part.  He  had  prepared  a  few  of  his  gods 
for  the  occasion.  A  stone  represented  Ganesh. 
Vishnu  had  been  made  of  dough,  while  Brahma 
will  receive  more  honor  if  he  remains  undescribed. 
In  an  opposite  corner  the  little  trembling  bride 

6GI 


82  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS  OF    INDIA. 

sat.  The  gods  were  worshiped.  Water  was 
sprinkled  over  them,  and  over  the  worshipers  by 
the  priest.  This,  he  said,  made  them  holy,  the 
gods,  as  well  as  the  men.  Incense  was  oflfered. 
A  collection  was  then  taken  for  the  benefit  of  the 
priest.  If  this  happens,  as  is  frequently  the  case, 
to  be  not  large  enough  to  satisfy  him,  he  stops  the 
ceremony  until  the  offering  is  made  more  liberal. 

One  corner  of  the  bride's  veil  was  tied  to  an  end 
of  the  bridegroom's  turban,  and  the  '*  knot "  that 
in  this  case  was  '*  tied  "  was  altogether  literal. 
Dough  was  then  placed  in  the  hands  of  each. 
They  now  arose  and  walked  seven  times  around 
the  framework.  The  first  three  times  the  bride 
preceded  the  bridegroom,  but  the  order  was 
reversed  the  last  four  times  and  the  bride  followed 
meekly  after  the  one  she  would  continue  following 
the  remainder  of  her  life. 

It  was  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  before  the 
ceremony  was  finished.  The  poor  little  bride,  so 
tired  and  sleepy  after  the  long,  dreary  night,  was 
placed  in  a  gayly  covered  palanquin.  Bidding 
good-bye  to  her  girlhood  home,  she  was  borne 
away  on  the  shoulders  of  four  men,  across  country 
six  miles  to  the  new  home  where  she  would  hence- 
forth be  always  under  the  stern  eye  of  her 
mother-in-law. 

How  different  was  the  marriage  of  Jiwan,  one 
of  the  Sialkot  school    girls,   during  the  summer 


TWO   WEDDINGS.  83 

vacation  !  Mr.  Anderson,  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba, 
and  Bua  drove  over  one  morning  to  her  village, 
a  few  miles  north  of  the  town  of  Zafarwal.  Many 
of  the  wedding  guests  had  already  arrived.  After 
a  little  rest  in  the  neat  Christian  home,  where  the 
young  bride  quietly  assisted  her  mother  in  looking 
after  the  comfort  of  the  visitors,  the  men  arose, 
and  taking  their  Bibles  in  their  hands  started  out 
to  spend  the  day  in  preaching  Jesus  Christ  to  the 
heathen  in  that  village.  The  marriage  ceremony 
would  not  take  place  until  evening. 

The  unusual  stir  in  the  one  Christian  home  in 
the  village  brought  the  Hindu  women  out  in  large 
numbers.  The  opportunity  was  improved  by  the 
Christian  women,  and  all  day  long  in  that  happy 
home,  heathen  women  were  pointed  to  the  Saviour. 
The  bride  took  her  turn  in  telling  these  heathen 
sisters  of  what  Jesus  had  done  for  her.  The  Little 
Miss  Sahiba  knew  better  than  any  one  else  the 
great  change  that  had  come  over  Jiwan  in  those 
last  months  of  her  school  life.  It  was  difficult  for 
these  village  women  to  believe  that  the  young  girl 
who  spoke  so  earnestly  and  lovingly  to  them  about 
their  souls,  was  to  be  married  that  day.  What  a 
strange  religion  was  this-  that  absorbed  every 
thought  even  on  the  wedding  day ! 

About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  Jiwan's 
mother  came  into  the  room  where  her  daughter 
was  surrounded  by  an  attentive  audience,  and  said, 


84  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

"  Daughter,  it  will  soon  be  time  for  the  ceremony. 
I  think  you  had  better  go  and  dress."  An  hour 
afterwards  Jiwan  was  ready.  She  came  out  into 
the  open  yard,  dressed  in  the  simple  style  of  her 
people,  only  wore  less  gaudy  colors  and  her  veil 
was  of  soft  white  muslin.  A  bunch  of  roses 
brought  from  the  Zafarwal  mission  garden  held 
her  veil  in  place. 

The  bridegroom,  a  tall,  fine  looking  man,  was 
attired  in  pure  white.  He  was  a  teacher  under 
Mr.  Anderson's  supervision.  These  two  young 
people  stood  side  by  side  while  the  ceremony  was 
performed  by  a  native  minister.  The  heathen, 
who  witnessed  it,  were  filled  with  amazement  at 
the  honor  given  the  woman  in  the  marriage  cere- 
mony. She  was  placed  on  an  equality  with  the 
man.  She  stood  by  his  side.  They  both  made  the 
same  promises.  The  day  had  been  full  of  beau- 
tiful object  lessons. 

The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  was  glad  that  night,  as 
they  drove  back  to  Zafarwal,  that  she  had  had  the 
privilege  of  helping  to  prepare  Jiwan  for  her  life 
work.  Another  Christian  home  had  been  started, 
and  oh !  how  great  was  its  need  in  that  great 
stretch  of  north  country  wholly  given  over  to  idol- 
atry. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   CHRISTIAN   KNDKAVORS'    GIFT. 

ONE  Tuesday  evening  after  the  Endeavor  meet- 
ing was  over,  some  of  the  girls  still  lingered 
in  the  room,  and  drew  near  the  Little  Miss 
Sahiba,  who  was  reading  the  mail  that  had  just 
come  in  from  America.  After  finishing  the  letters, 
she  said  to  the  girls  :  ''  I  have  received  another 
letter  from  my  sister,  who  has  so  often  written  us 
about  the  orphans  where  she  lives  and  works. 
Would  you  like  me  to  read  it  to  you  ?"  ' '  Oh,  yes, 
please  do,''  they  exclaimed  quickly.  The  Little 
Miss  Sahiba  always  found  willing  listeners  when- 
ever she  spoke  of  the  grand  work  that  is  being 
done  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Lemen  and  his  staff  of  work- 
ers for  two  hundred  and  more  little  American 
orphans.  Her  sister  had  been  engaged  in  the 
work  for  some  time  in  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa.  The 
people  of  India  always  have  a  word  of  sympathy 
for  the  orphan.  The  school  girls  had  taken  the 
sorrows  of  these  orphans  into  their  hearts.  They 
listened  intently,  as  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  read 
from  her  sister's  letter  of  the  "  hard  times "  that 
had  come  to  America.  "  We  have,"  she  wrote, 
"  had  very  little  money  come  to  us  lately  for  our 

85 


86  ONE  HUNDRED  GIRLS  OF  INDIA. 

work.  You  know  we  are  dependent  on  the  gifts 
of  friends  for  our  support.  We  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  giving  our  children  bread  and  milk  for 
their  suppers,  but  lately  we  have  had  so  little 
money  we  have  had  nothing  but  bread  to  give 
them.''  Her  reading  was  now  interrupted  by  one 
of  the  girls  exclaiming :  "  Nothing  but  bread,  dry 
bread  for  their  suppers !  Poor  little  things !  We 
thought  we  were  poor,  but  we  always  have  some- 
thing in  which  to  dip  our  bread."  The  Little 
Miss  Sahiba  was  deeply  touched  with  this  tender- 
ness for  the  orphans  in  her  home  land.  "  We  have 
something  in  which  to  dip  our  bread,"  the  girls 
said,  and  their  Miss  Sahiba  thought  to  herself: 
'^  You  poor  little  things,  that  is  all  you  ever  have, 
the  bread,  and  something  in  which  to  dip  it.'' 

Several  of  them  now  arose  and  passed  out  of 
the  room,  murmuring  as  they  left:  *' Nothing 
but  dry  bread !  Nothing  but  dry  bread  !  " 

The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  was  alone  with  her  let- 
ters from  the  home  land,  the  little  white  messen- 
gers that  are  so  eagerly  watched  for,  and  that 
bring  such  joy  to  the  lonely  worker  in  the  distant 
outposts  of  the  Christian  churches.  Friends  in 
the  home  land,  will  you  not  help  swell  the  foreign 
post  that  reaches  the  missionaries  only  once  a 
week  ? 

The  girls  came  back  after  a  short  time,  and 
coming  up  to  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba,  began  drop- 


THE   CHRISTIAN   ENDEAVORS'    GIFT.  87 

ping  pieces  of  money  into  her  lap,  little  silver  bits 
worth  five  cents,  little  copper ';*coins  worth  half  a 
cent.  Ivooking  up  in  surprise,  she  said:  "Girls, 
why  do  you  give  me  this  money  ? '' 

"It  isn't  much,"  one  replied,  "  but  it  is  all  we 
have ;  please  send  it  oflf  quickly  to  help  feed  those 
poor  little  orphans." 

They  left  her  again  and  went  out  and  canvassed 
the  whole  school.  Another  handful  of  small  coins 
was  brought  and  laid  beside  the  first  pile.  As  the 
Miss  Sahiba  looked  at  the  shining  bits  of  silver, 
her  heart  was  melted  at  the  sight,  for  she  knew 
how  much  sacrifice  was  represented  by  this  money. 
The  girls  had  given  their  alL  And  how  hard  some 
of  them  had  worked  to  earn  this  money !  Grinding 
at  the  mill  for  hours  to  earn  five  cents !  They 
were  hoarding  these  silver  bits,  so  that  by  and  by 
they  might  have  enough  to  buy  a  reference  Bible, 
while  the  copper  coins  would  be  expended  in  much 
needed  hair  ribbons. 

"  We  will  read  our  old  Bibles,  and  tie  our  hair 
with  strings,"  one  of  the  girls  now  said,  as  she 
seemed  to  read  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba's  thoughts, 
"we  want  all  our  money  sent  to  those  orphans." 

When  the  money  was  counted  it  was  found  the 
girls  had  given  a  little  more  than  two  dollars,  all 
the  spending  money  the  school  contained. 

The  girls  were  happy  that  night.  Never,  per- 
haps, had  they  prayed  so  earnestly  for  God  to  bless 


88  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF    INDIA. 

the  "  good  people  of  America,"  as  when  they  met 
for  evening  prayers.  They  had  invested  money 
over  there  and  were  interested  in  those  they  were 
helping. 

The  next  day,  twenty  of  the  girls,  with  their 
Miss  Sahibas,  went  down  to  the  city  church  for 
the  missionary  society.  At  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ing, one  of  the  most  timid  girls  in  the  school  arose 
and  told  the  story  of  the  orphans  so  graphically 
that  every  heart  was  touched,  and  ten  rupees,  or 
three  dollars,  one  half  the  money  in  the  treasury, 
was  voted  to  the  help  of  this  object.  Some  of  the 
Christians  in  the  city  added  to  this  sum  and  in  a 
few  days  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba  had  $8.50  to  send 
in  a  draft  to  Mr.  Lemen,  of  Council  Blufifs,  Iowa. 

India,  famine-stricken,  plague-smitten  India, 
out  of  its  penury,  could  still  send  a  little  to  help 
prosperous  America's  suffering  ones ! 

The  gift  was  blessed  to  the  "  Christian  Home  ;'* 
and  the  givers  received  a  rich  blessing  in  their  own 
souls. 

"  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 


CHAPTER  X. 

WHO   SENT  THKM   AWAY? 

THE  weeks  that  followed  were  full  of  work,  for 
the  girls  were  preparing  for  the  government 
examination.  Three  of  the  girls,  Martha,  Viro  and 
Nasiban  were  going  up  for  their  final  examination. 
They  were  freed  from  much  of  the  household  work, 
that  they  might  have  more  time  for  their  studies, 
but  the  Miss  Sahibas  were  glad  to  notice  that  they 
did  not  neglect  the  study  of  the  Bible  and  prayer. 
That  always  came  first.  Indeed  a  loving,  helpful 
spirit  prevailed  in  every  department  of  the  school. 
Never  had  the  work  seemed  more  encouraging. 
It  was  at  this  time  a  letter  came  to  the  mission 
field  bearing  sad  tidings.  It  came  from  the  Foreign 
Board.  It  told  of  "hard  times"  in  America,  and 
how,  because  of  this,  the  mission  receipts  had  been 
greatly  reduced.  "  It  would  be  necessary,"  the 
letter  said,  ''  for  the  mission  estimates  to  be  reduced 
twenty-five  per  cent." 

This  letter  went  the  rounds  of  the  mission 
stations,  and  one  day  reached  the  girls'  boarding 
school  in  Sialkot,  where  it  was  read  by  the  two 
Miss  Sahibas.     In  consternation  they  exclaimed: 

89 


90  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF   INDIA. 

"  A  cut  of  twenty-five  per  cent !  Oh,  what  does 
that  mean  to  us  in  this  school !  How  can  we 
reduce  expenses !" 

It  cost  only  ;^1.25  per  month  to  support  a  girl 
in  the  school.  This  sum  fed,  clothed  and  taught 
a  girl  for  one  month.  True,  it  meant  plain  living, 
two  simple  meals  a  day,  the  "  dry  bread  and  some- 
thing in  which  to  dip  it,''  two  plain,  coarse  cotton 
suits  of  clothing  a  year,  and  a  staff  of  teachers,  who 
received  from  ;^3.00  to  ;^8.00  per  mensem  for  their 
wages. 

The  Miss  Sahibas,  after  talking  the  matter  over, 
decided  they  could  not  feed  the  girls  less  food  and 
keep  them  well  and  strong ;  they  could  not  clothe 
them  on  less,  and  as  they  were  in  the  school  to  be 
taught,  the  teaching  staff  could  not  well  be  reduced. 

There  was  no  alternative  but  to  turn  some  of 
the  girls  out  of  the  school.  The  question  then 
arose  "which  ones  shall  we  turn  away?"  They 
looked  over  the  school,  and  saw  happy  little  Firoza^ 
the  baby  of  the  school,  now  four  years  old,  who  had 
come  to  them  at  the  age  of  two,  a  motherless  child. 
Surely  they  could  not  turn  her  away. 

Then  they  looked  again  and  saw  eight-year-old 
Hannah,  who  was  lame.  Could  they  turn  her  out 
into  the  cold,  cruel  world? 

One  after  another  the  faces  of  the  girls  came 
before  them,  until  they  reached  those  of  the  highest 
class.     These  girls  would  soon  finish  the  school 


WHO    SENT    THEM    AWAY?  91 

course  and  would  then  be  able  to  help  in  the  school 
as  teachers.  They  needed  help  so  much.  Could 
it  be  right  to  turn  them  from  the  school? 

Not  one  of  the  girls  did  the  Miss  Sahibas  want 
to  send  away  from  this  school,  the  only  school  in 
the  whole  mission  field  for  training  Christian  girls. 

They  struggled  on  a  few  days  longer  trying  to 
keep  the  one  hundred  girls  together  in  the  happy 
school  home  ;  but  a  day  came  when  they  did  not 
have  enough  to  feed  all  the  children  and  some  of 
them  went  hungry  that  day. 

"  It  will  have  to  be  done,''  Miss  Corbett  said, 
and  that  evening  after  worship  was  over,  the  girls 
were  asked  to  remain  seated  a  little  while  longer. 

"  Children,''  the  Miss  Sahiba  began,  "  we  have 
something  to  tell  you.''  They  looked  up  in  sur- 
prise, wondering  what  they  were  to  hear.  "We 
have  had  sad  news  from  home,''  the  Miss  Sahiba 
continued,  while  the  faces  of  the  girls  grew  very 
sad.  They  thought  perhaps  the  Miss  Sahibas  had 
heard  of  the  death  of  some  loved  one.  "  They 
are  having  hard  times  in  America,"  she  said,  and 
she  spoke  very  slowly  now,  for  she  found  it  so  hard 
to  tell  them  what  the  hard  times  meant  to  them  in 
the  school.  "  Hard  times  ! ''  Oh,  yes,  they  knew 
the  meaning  of  that.  It  meant  famine,  and  people 
dying  by  the  thousands  from  starvation.  Was 
that  what  had  happened  to  America  ?  Were  the 
people  over  there  dying  because  there  was  no  food? 
Oh,  they  were  sorry. 


92  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS   OF   INDIA. 

The  Miss  Sahiba's  heart  was  too  sad  to  explain 
that  matters  were  not  so  serious  as  that.  A  few 
less  luxuries  for  the  rich,  and  a  little  plainer  style 
of  living  for  the  mass  of  people  was  probably  all 
that  would  result  from  ''hard  times  "  in  the  home 
land. 

The  explanation  made  to  the  children  was : 
"  We  are  so  sorry,  but  '  hard  times  '  really  means 
that  people  in  America  are  giving  less  money  to 
missions.  You  know  this  school  is  supported  by 
Christians  over  there.  They  are  not  giving  as 
much  as  they  used  to  give,  and  you  know  how  we 
have  economized  lately.  This  morning  some  of 
you  had  not  enough  to  eat.    How  can  we  tell  you  ? 

"  Some  of  you  must  leave  school  and  go  back 
to  your  homes." 

Then  followed  that  which  would  surely  have 
touched  the  hearts  of  even  those  least  interested 
in  missions. 

The  girls  began  to  cry  and  to  plead  so  earnestly 
to  be  kept. 

One  little  girl  leaning  against  the  brick  wall 
said,  with  sobs  choking  her  voice  :  "  Please  don't 
turn  me  away  from  your  school.  I  don't  know 
much  about  Jesus  yet,  and  my  people  are  heathen. 
If  I  go,  I  am  afraid  I'll  forget  all  I  have  learned. 
Please  do  keep  me.'' 

Another  said:  "  My  people  are  so  poor.  They 
do  not  have  enough  to  feed  all  the  children  who 
are  at  home.     Oh  keep  me  !" 


WHO    SENT   THEM    AWAY?  93 

The  Miss  Sahibas  knew  this  was  true,  for   it 
was  famine  year  in  India. 

"  If  you'll  only  keep  me,"  wailed  one,  ''  I'll  try 
so  hard  to  be  good." 

The  older  girls  were  quietly  wipmg  the  tears 
from  their  own  sad  faces.  The  Miss  Sahibas  could 
not  endure  the  strain  any  longer.  Saying  good- 
night to  the  girls,  they  went  to  their  own  room, 
where  they  had  to  decide  who  would  have  to  leave 
on  the  morrow.  When  this  sad  task  was  over  the 
names  of  thirteen  giris  were  written  on  a  piece  of 

paper.  .   ^ 

The  next  morning  Miss  Corbett  went  out  into 
the  school  yard  and  told  these  little  girls  they  were 
chosen  to  go.  The  school  clothing  was  removed 
from  them  in  accordance  with  a  mission  rule,  and 
the  racrs  they  had  worn  to  school  put  on  them. 
Then  Miss  Corbett  called  to  the  Little  Miss  Sahiba, 
who  was  getting  ready  for  the  day's  work  in  the 
school  room :  ''  They  are  going  now,  won't  you 
come  and  say  good-bye?" 

"I'm  coming,"  she  answered,  and  started  m 
through  a  small  back  door.  As  she  came  inside 
the  court-yard,  she  heard  the  heavy  front  gate  open, 
creaking  on  its  hinges  as  it  opened.  She  knew 
only  too  well  what  that  sound  was.  The  gate  was 
not  opening  to  let  some  more  little  girls  into  the 
blessed  sunlight  of  that  Christian  school,  but  it  was 
opening,  to  close  again,  with  thirteen  of  their  dear 


94  ONE    HUNDRED    GIRLS    OF    INDIA. 

children  on  the  outside,  shut  out  because  there  was 
not  enough  money  in  the  treasury  to  support  them 
at  ;^1.25  per  month. 

She  drew  a  little  nearer  the  crying  groups  of 
girls,  where  goodbyes  were  being  said  to  the 
unfortunate  little  school  mates. 

She  overheard  one  say : 

''  I  would  do  with  just  one  meal  a  day  if  they 
would  only  keep  me." 

And  another: 

"  I  would  eat  only  two  pieces  of  bread  instead 
of  four,  if  they  would  only  let  me  stay." 

"  I  am  willing  to  sleep  on  the  ground,"  one 
poor  little  thing  was  saying  hysterically,  "anything, 
anything  that  I  may  not  have  to  leave  school." 

The  Little  Miss  Sahiba  could  not  listen  longer, 
she  felt  her  heart  breaking,  and  turning  to  Miss 
Corbett,  said :  '*  I  cannot  say  goodbye,  you  will 
have  to  see  them  leave." 

Miss  Corbett's  heart  ached  none  the  less,  but 
her  nerves  were  a  little  stronger  for  the  trying 
ordeal. 

By  and  by  the  gates  closed ;  and  thirteen  sad 
little  figures  could  be  seen  on  the  outside,  weeping 
for  the  place  that  had  been  more  than  home  to 
them,  for  there  they  had  been  taught  of  Jesus. 

Through  no  fault  of  theirs  they  had  been  turned 
out  into  the  cruel,  heathen  world  of  superstition 
and  darkness. 


WHO    SENT    THEM    AWAY  ?  ,  95 

When  the  Miss  Sahibas  could  bear  to  speak  of 
that  sad  day,  they  said : 

'^  Who  sent  them  away?" 

Did  the  friends  in  the  home  land  know  when 
retrenchment  was  sounded  all  along  the  line  of 
missionary  work,  it  meant  the  little  children  must 
suffer  too? 

Do  not  the  pleading  voices  of  these  little  ones  of 
India  come  to  you  dear  Christian  friends?  They 
stand  before  you  in  their  tattered  garments,  and 
with  their  big  brown  eyes  full  of  tears,  say  to  you 
so  beseechingly  :  '*  Please  keep  us  in  school  a  little 
while  longer.  We  want  to  learn  more  about 
Jesus." 


OUR  FRIENDS— 

YOUR  FRIENDS 

«An  honest  tale  speeds  best,  being  plainly  told." 


The  fine  half-tone  engravings 

in  this  volume  were  kindly  furnished  by 
the  Buoher-   Engraving   Co.,  Colunr^bus,  O. 


tPomen's  ITiissionaru  IH^garine 


PUBLISHED    MONTHLY 

By  the  Committee  of  the  Women's  General  Missionary 
Society  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church 


Nothing  will  awaken  more  interest  in  the  work  of 
the  society  and  the  Church  than  to  let  the  Magazine  ell 
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Subscriptions  to  begin  at  any  time,  to  be  sent  to 

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ESTABLISHBD    1842 


(n?e  Hnttcb  Presbyterian 

No.  209  Ninth  Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penn. 

(Publication  Building) 


LEADING  PAPER  OF  ITS  CHURCH 

Only  Paper  for  Adults  of  Its  Church  Published  in  Pittsburgh 

THE  MIDLAND 

Published  Weekly  at 

CHICAQO,  ILLINOIS 

A  Modern  Wide-Awake,  Progressive  CHURCH  PAPER. 

WILLIAM  S.  OWENS,   D.  D.,   Editor 


Address  all  communications  to 

-the:  in/iiduaimd, 

John  A.  Crawford,  Business  Mgr.  358  Dearborn  St.,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

The  Christian  Instructor 

PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

^     ^     ^ 


Six  Months 
On  Trial.... 


50  cents 


The  Christian  Union  Herald 

209  NINTH  ST.,  PITTSBURG.  PA. 

A  WEEKLY  NEWSPAPER 

In  the  Interests  of  the  Young  Peoples'  Christian  Union  of  the 

United  Presbyterian  Church. 


A  CIRCULATION  OF  23000.      It  is  taken  in  95  per  cent,  of  the 
Congregations  of  our  Denominations. 


Tarkio  College... 

Tarkio  College  is  an  institutioii  for  l^'oth  sexes 
located  in  Tarkio,  Mo.  It  is  under  the  control  of  the 
Synods  of  Iowa  and  Nebraska  of  the  United  Presby- 

*'"^?t°hrthe  following  Departments:  Collegiate, 
offering  Classical,  Scientific  and  Literary  Courses; 
Norinal,providing  special  training  for 
Departments  teachers;  Preparatory,  fitting  students 
— for  its  own  courses ;  Musical,  provid- 
ing courses  leading  to  diplomas  in  Piano  and  Singing 
rXhese  include  instruction  in  harmony,  Musical  His- 
tory and  Bar  Training  and  make  a  literary  requir- 
ment  for  graduation)^  Commercial,  fitting  for  busi- 
es" and  giving  instruction  in  Shorthand  and  Type- 

"""*  Marshall  Hall  is  the  college  home  for  ladies.  The 
Gentlemen's  Dormitory  affords  young  men  ari  oppor- 
uenueme  j^^^^^   ^^   ^^^^^^  ^^   education 

Soecial  Features      at  the  least  expense  for  board  and 

— lodging.    The  Gymnasium  offers 

separate  instruction  for  young  men  and  yo""?/—- 
A  specialist  is  employed  to  give  ins  ruction  in  Elocu- 
tion Special  attention  is  given  to  instruction  in  the 
modern  languages.  French,  German  and  Spanish  are 
Taught  sTblei  taught  regularly  and  systen^atica lly 
Tarkio  is  so  situated  that  the  breezes  from  the 

nrairies  drive  away  every  taint  of  malaria.    Consump- 
prairies  drive  aw  j^^  j^  ^.^^^^^  ^.^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^       ^^ 

HealthfulneSS     unknown  in  the  vicinity.  The  health 

record  of  teachers  and  students  has 

been  remarkable.    Two  out  of  one  hundred  and  forty- 

""^^  ^l^eslndSer  printed  matter  will  be  sent 
on  application.     Add ress^at  Tarkio,  Mo.^^^^^^^^_ 


Westminster 
College  ^^^ 


IT  is  a  college  and  not  an  academy;  is  a  college 
and  not  a  university.  It  has  three  courses — 
Classical,  Scientific  and  Literary.  Besides  cona- 
petent  instructors,  it  has  adequate  laboratories  and 
other  teaching  appliances.  It  has  also  a  music  depart- 
ment that  has  held  high  rank,  and  an  art  department 
under  the  guide  of  a  skilled  and  talented  artist.  It 
has  a  Ladies'  Hall,  well  situated  and  elegantly  fur- 
nished, supplied  with  water  from  the  hillside,  heated 
with  steam  and  lighted  with  gas.  It  is  in  a  beautiful 
town  without  saloons  and  dominantly  Christian,  with 
two  United  Presbyterian  congregations,  one  Presbyter- 
ian congregation  and  one  Methodist. 

January  3,  1900 — Winter  Term  will  begin. 

April  4,  1900— Spring  Term  will  begin. 

For  catalogue  or  other  particulars,  address, 

R.  G.  FERGUSON,  President. 


Muskingum  College 

NEW  CONCORD,  OHIO 

UNITED  PRESBYTERIAN 
COLLEGE  FOR  MEN  AND 
WOMEN  ^    J-    J-    ^    ^ 

Founded  J  837 

Jesse  Johnson,  President, 

New  Concord,  Ohio 

CEDARVILLE  COLLEGE 

CEDARVILLE,  OHIO 


^^^ 


CEDARVILLE  College  is  a  Christian  institution. 
The  Psalms  are  used  exclusively  in  worship.  A 
large  and  flourishing  United  Presbyterian 
church  here.  The  college  trains  both  sexes.  Its 
courses  lead  to  A.  B.  and  Ph.  B.  Good  Musical 
and  Elocution  courses.  The  attendance  tripled 
in  four  years.  Only  eight  miles  from  Xenia 
Theological  Seminary.  Fine  farming  community. 
Advantages  in  all  lines  superior.  Total  expenses  for  36 
weeks  $125. 

Spring  Term  Opens  ilarch  20,  1900 
Fall  Term  Opens  Sept.  12,  1900 
Catalogue  and  other  information  free. 

President,  DAVID  McKINNEY 
Secretary,  W.  R.  McCHESNEY 


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-OR- 


For 


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all  inoney  received  froni  this  advertisement  up  to  that 
time.  On  July  1st,  1901,  we  will  remit  again  to  her,  on 
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Certificates  Written  for  $1000  and  $2000 

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bank. 

ACCIDENT  AND  DISABILITY  BENEFITS  PAID 

The  following  benefits  were  paid  for  deaths  which  occurred  in  1899 : 

Rev.  David  McCaw...    Hanover,  Ills $2,018.75 

Mr.  Robert  J.  Stewart Swanwick,  Ills 2,01T.50 

Mr.  John  T.  Gillespie Chariton,  Iowa 2,020. dO 

Mr.  Daniel  Conner Philadelphia,  Pa 1,003.00 

Mrs.  Harriet  L.  Gowdy Monmouth.  Ills 2,026.25 

Mr.  Robert  R.  Royer Adamsville,  Pa 1,010.40 

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Certificates  in  Force  January  1.  1900— 1966— for  $3.029,000.00. 

A  very  interesting  and  profitable  biennial  meeting 
of  the  General  Council  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Mutual 
Benefit  Association,  consisting  of  the  officers  and  dele- 
gates of  the  local  branches,  was  held  in  the  First  United 
Presbyterian  Church,  Monmouth,  Ills,  January  9,  1900. 

From  the  Auditors'  Report  to  the  General  Council  we  extract  the  following: 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  Auditing  Committee,  have  Examined 
the  books  and  vouchers  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Mutual  Benefit  Association 
and  find  them  to  be  correct. 

"  In  addition  to  the  above  formal  statement,  we  desire  to  put  on  record  our 
appreciation  of  the  manner  in  which  the  business  ot  the  Association  has  been 
conducted  by  those  concerned  in  its  active  management.  The  system  of  book- 
keeping could  not  well  be  improved.  Il  reduces  the  possibility  of  mistake  to  a 
minimum,  and  would  be  a  check,  all  but  absolute,  upon  any  attempted  dis- 
honesty. The  records  are  also  securely  kept,  and  the  more  important  ones  in 
duplicate,  thereby  guaranteeing  the  policy  holder  against  annoyance  or  loss. 

"  Expenses  have  been  kept  down  to  the  lowest  point  consistent  with  efficient 
service  and  good  business  management." 


R.  G    Ramsay, 

M.    McKlTRICK, 

C.  Ritchie. 


i 


E.  J.  BLAIR,  M.  D,,  Gen'l  Mgr.  HUGH  R.  MOFFET,  Sec'y, 

For  Information,  address  U.  P.  M.  B.  A.  MONMOUTH,  ILLS. 


The  Monarch  Vehicle  Co. 


MANUFACTURERS  OF 


FINE  VEHICLES 

Columbus,  Ohio 
OUR  LINE 

Buggies,  Phaetons, 
Runabouts  and  Surreys 

Everything  Known  in  Music 

SALES  TO  DATE  100,000  MUSICAL 

OVER  INSTRUMENTS 

$33,000,000  PRODUCED  ANNUALLY 

LYON  &  HEALY 

CHICAGO 


Salesrooms :  Wabash  Ave.  and  Adams  Street. 
Manufactories  5  Randolph  Street  and  Ogden  Ave, 


BW7509.C18 

One  hundred  girls  of  India  :  an  account 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00043  6503 


